Federal Department of Finance FDF
Two uniformed customs officers training with a dog in a field.
Federal finances, financial market stability, taxes – at the FDF, there is a lot of emphasis on the state budget and on financial policy. The department collects taxes and customs duties, and checks the cross-border movement of people and goods. It also provides services for the entire Federal Administration, from IT to human resources to buildings and logistics.
Karin Keller-Sutter
Head of the FDF
Member of the Federal Council since 2019.
Sound finances give the state the ability to act for the wellbeing of its population.
Priorities of the FDF in 2026
Sound finances and rigorous fiscal policy give the state the necessary room for manoeuvre to act in the service of everybody. The Federal Council conducts fiscal policy based on the requirements of the debt brake. This obliges the Confederation to not live beyond its means over the long term.
The 2026 budget respects these requirements, but with limited room for manoeuvre in the ordinary budget. It now includes extraordinary expenditure to deal with unforeseen expenses, such as those related to the war in Ukraine. From 2027 onwards, the Federal Council plans to end this practice in order to return to exclusively ordinary budget management.
The financial outlook remains difficult. The increase in expenditure, particularly on AHV and the Armed Forces, as well as certain political decisions, will weigh permanently on the federal accounts in an international environment marked by high economic and geopolitical uncertainty.
To maintain stable public finances, the Federal Council focuses on rigorous budgetary discipline. Sound finances remain one of Switzerland’s major assets: they guarantee public confidence and bolster the country’s attractiveness as an economic centre. Keeping this balance, despite growing pressure, is the Federal Department of Finance’s main goal for 2026.
Expenses 2024 (CHF)
20.89bn
Staff (FTEs) 2024
8,853
Organisation chart FDF
