Published on 1 February 2026

Interdepartmental Working Group on Combating Corruption

The Interdepartmental Working Group on Combating Corruption coordinates the anti-corruption activities of federal government offices and agencies at various levels. It includes representatives of the Federal Administration and – with observer status – the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland. Independent experts and representatives from the cantons, cities, business community and civil society are also involved in its themed workshops.

The last few decades have brought increased international awareness that corruption seriously damages governments, societies and economies and needs to be addressed in a comprehensive manner. Even Switzerland, despite its highly developed system of integrity safeguards and stable institutions, is not immune from corruption.

In 2008, in response to a recommendation from the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), the Federal Council tasked the FDFA with creating an interdepartmental working group on corruption in order to improve the efficiency of collaboration between federal government offices and agencies at various levels.

The resultant Interdepartmental Working Group on Combating Corruption (IDWG on Combating Corruption) comprises all Federal Administration offices involved in anti-corruption activities and – with observer status – the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland. A core group within the Federal Administration, which plans the work of the IDWG and issues strategic guidelines, comprises representatives from the General Secretariat of the Federal Department of Home Affairs (GS-FDHA), the Federal Office of Justice (FOJ), the Federal Office of Police (fedpol), the Federal Office for Defence Procurement (armasuisse), the Federal Office of Personnel (FOPER), the Federal Office for Buildings and Logistics (FOBL), the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and the Federal Roads Office (FEDRO). The chairmanship and secretariat of the IDWG and core group are attached to the FDFA.

The IDWG on Combating Corruption has been tasked by the Federal Council with improving the exchange and flow of information between the different federal offices, cantons, communes, the private sector, civil society and academia. It achieves this by organising workshops on specific themes. The IDWG on Combating Corruption also discusses developments in the international anti-corruption conventions and forums (UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), OECD Working Group on Bribery in International Business Transactions, Council of Europe Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) and G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group). The core group coordinates Switzerland's stance on different issues at international level, which is very important since different federal offices are responsible for representing Switzerland in these bodies.

The IDWG on Combating Corruption is also required to report regularly to the Federal Council on its activities and on developments in the field. Furthermore, it drafted the Federal Council's Anti-Corruption Strategy 2026–29 as well as the preceding 2021–24 strategy, and promotes implementation by the relevant administrative units.

• Reporting offices

  Reporting office of the SFAO

  The Swiss Federal Audit Office (SFAO) maintains a whistleblowing website where private individuals and federal employees can report suspected irregularities and acts of corruption within the administrative units of the Federal Administration.

  FDFA whistleblowing platform

  Ensuring the highest standards of integrity across all its activities is a priority for the FDFA. The FDFA has therefore set up a whistleblowing platform where any suspicions of irregularities or abuses linked to its activities in Switzerland or abroad can be reported.

  List of reporting offices abroad

  The FDFA's Prosperity and Sustainability Division maintains a list of foreign services and reporting offices in the area of anti-corruption. The list is intended to assist individuals confronted with acts of corruption in finding the relevant contact point. In most cases, it is advisable to contact the local Swiss representation beforehand.

  • List of National Authorities against Corruption

    PDF739.33 kB20 November 2025

• Mandate of the Interdepartmental Working Group on Combating Corruption

  In its decision of 25 April 2018, the Federal Council gave the Interdepartmental Working Group on Combating Corruption the following mandate:

  1. Basis, duration and funding

  • it is constituted on the basis of Article 55 of the Government and Administration Organisation Act (GAOA);
  • it has been renewed for a fixed period of 10 years, which may be extended;
  • it is funded from the budget of the FDFA.

  2. Objectives and tasks

  • It coordinates the anti-corruption activities of the Swiss Confederation, including positions taken at the international level;
  • it closely monitors normative developments at the international level, recommendations made by international mechanisms and their implementation;
  • it organises thematic workshops with the aim of training and raising awareness of the issue of corruption among all actors concerned (federal government, cantons, communes, business, civil society, experts);
  • it defines best practices and disseminates them;
  • it is tasked with formulating strategic and operational anti-corruption objectives at the federal level and will submit these for approval to the Federal Council by 31 March 2020;
  • it submits a report to the Federal Council every three years on developments regarding corruption in Switzerland in the international context, as well as on its activities.

  3. Composition

  • the IDWG comprises those federal offices involved in the fight against corruption and the Office of the Attorney General; the FDFA chairs the IDWG and provides the secretariat;
  • it establishes a small group (core group) to which operational tasks are assigned;
  • it manages an information network on corruption in collaboration with the cantons (primarily through the Conference of the Cantonal Governments of Switzerland).

• Combating corruption through development cooperation

  Corruption hinders development and can cause conflict. Switzerland is strongly committed to combating corruption. The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) support a range of programmes in partner countries as well as global initiatives that contribute to combating corruption. They have also taken measures to reduce the risk of corruption within their programmes.

  Mutual support between the states parties and the provision of technical assistance in the fight against corruption, in particular for the benefit of developing countries, are set out in Article 60 of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC).

  Acting on the recommendation of the Interdepartmental Working Group on Combating Corruption, the SDC and SECO have each compiled a list of projects and programmes that directly or indirectly contribute to the fight against corruption.

  Projects and programmes

  These lists include around 107 projects and programmes in almost 30 countries where Swiss development cooperation contributes directly or indirectly to the fight against corruption. The overall objective is to improve governance at central, regional and local levels and to strengthen public institutions (including the judiciary and prosecution authorities) and civil society.

  • International projects and programmes of SECO in the area of combating corruption

    PDF122.14 kB20 November 2025

  • International projects and programmes of the SDC in the area of combating corruption

    PDF455.05 kB4 December 2025

  Peace, governance and equality, SDC

  Sustainable Development through Economic Governance, SECO

Documents

• Activity report of the Interdepartmental Working Group on Combating Corruption (2021–23)

  PDF450.51 kB3 July 2024

• Study of the Institute of Federalism of the University of Fribourg: Possible structuring of a reporting obligation for significant assets, investments and liabilities for holders of functions with increased corruption risks

  PDF840.08 kB18 July 2022

• Activity Report of the Interdepartmental Working Group on Combating Corruption (2018–20)

  PDF683.08 kB17 September 2021

• How to measure corruption, workshop 27.11.2020

  German

  PDF128.73 kB27 November 2020

• Leaflet: Prevention of corruption and whistleblowing

  PDF700.65 kB4 December 2025

• Code of Conduct for Federal Administration Staff

  PDF879.76 kB4 December 2025