Enforcement aids and notices to applicants

In its “Environment in Practice” series, the FOEN publishes enforcement aids and notices to applicants.

Enforcement aids are published by the FOEN in its role as supervisory authority and are primarily aimed at cantonal enforcement authorities. They substantiate the provisions of federal environmental legislation (regarding unclear legal concepts and scope/exercise of discretion) and are designed to foster uniform practice in enforcing environmental law. By respecting the guidelines, the authorities can assume that they are acting in accordance with federal law; however, other solutions are permissible, so long as they are legally compliant. Enforcement aids are therefore primarily an instrument with which the federal government can supervise enforcement of federal law by the cantons.

The notices to applicants relate to applications on which the FOEN makes a decision. They explain the formal and substantive requirements that need to be met in applications made to the FOEN.

The following list includes all current and valid enforcement aids issued by the FOEN as the supervisory and specialist authority, and communications by the FOEN as the enforcement authority. The list is ordered according to thematic area; the enforcement aids and notices are ordered chronologically in each area.

https://www.bafu.admin.ch/content/bafu/en/home/topics/law/enforcement-aids.html