Published on 18 August 2026

Legal bases

Federal Act on the Surveillance of Post and Telecommunications

What is it about?

The Federal Act on the Surveillance of Post and Telecommunications (SPTA) and its implementing ordinances entered into force on 1st March 2018. This gave Switzerland a modern and clear legal basis for the surveillance of post and telecommunications for the prosecution of criminal offences.

• Press release dated 15 November 2017
  (in German)

The law and its implementing ordinances have been modified several times. The last modifications are presented hereafter.

• Partial amendment of the implementing ordinances of the SPTA dated 15 November 2023

  • The Federal Council decreed that the modifications of the Ordinance on the Surveillance of Post and Telecommunications (SPTO) and the Ordinance on the Processing System for the Surveillance of Post and Telecommunications (PSO-SPT) enter into force on 1st January 2024.
  • The Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP) decreed that the modifications of the Ordinance on the Implementation of the Surveillance of Post and Telecommunications (IO-SPT) also enter into force on 1st January 2024.
  • Press release dated 15 November 2023 (in German) with the results of the consultation process, the ordinances and the explanatory report.

• New Ordinance on the Financing of the Surveillance of Post and Telecommunications dated 15 November 2023 (FO-SPT)

  • The Federal council decreed that the new Ordinance on the Financing of the Surveillance of Post and Telecommunications (FO-SPT) enters into force on 1st January 2024. This new ordinance replaces the former Ordinance on the Fees and Compensations for the Surveillance of Post and Telecommunications (FCO-SPT). It introduces the general principle of flat rates.
  • Press release dated 15 November 2023 (in German) with the results of the consultation process, the ordinance and the explanatory report.

Resources

• Types of information and surveillance

  • From 01.01.2024

    (This document is not available in English)

    PDF507.16 kB18 August 2026

  • From 01.07.2023

    (This document is not available in English)

    PDF659.15 kB18 August 2026

• Processing times laid down by the Ordinance on the Implementation of the Surveillance of Post and Telecommunications (IO-SPT)

  • From 01.01.2024

    (This document is not available in English)

    PDF264.75 kB18 August 2026

  • From 01.03.2018

    (This document is not available in English)

    PDF108.65 kB18 August 2026

• Notice "WLAN"

  PDF173.05 kB4 July 2018

• Quadrilingual crime list

  PDF568.84 kB1 July 2024

• Federal Act on the Surveillance of Post and Telecommunications

  (13.025)

  • SPTA, SR 780.1
  • Federal Council Dispatch on SPTA (in German)
  • SPTO, SR 780.11

  • Explanatory report SPTO

  • 01.01.2024

    (This document is not available in English)

    PDF1.08 MB1 January 2024

  • 01.03.2018

    (This document is not available in English)

    PDF632.92 kB18 August 2026

  • FO-SPT, SR 780.115.1 (Lump sums; from 01.01.2024; in German)
  • Explanatory report FO-SPT (in German)
  • FAO-PTS, SR 780.115.1 (until 31.12.2023; in German)

  • Explanatory report FAO-PTS

  • 01.07.2020

    (This document is not available in English)

    PDF136.26 kB18 August 2026

  • 01.03.2018

    (This document is not available in English)

    PDF247.08 kB18 August 2026

  • PSO-PTS, SR 780.12 (in German)

  • Explanatory report PSO-PTS
    • 01.01.2024 (in German)

  • 01.03.2018

    (This document is not available in English)

    PDF234.66 kB18 August 2026

  • OI-PTS, SR 780.117 (in German)
  • OI-PTS Annex 1 (in German)
  • OI-PTS Annex 2 (in German)

  • Explanatory report OI-PTS
    • 01.01.2024 (in German)

  • 01.03.2018

    (This document is not available in English)

    PDF260.90 kB18 August 2026

  • VBO-ÜPF, SR 780.112 (in German)

  • Explanatory report of the VBO-ÜPF

  • 01.03.2018

    (This document is not available in English)

    PDF148.24 kB18 August 2026

• Swiss Criminal Procedure Code

  (18.043 ; 19.048)

  • Chapter 8 Covert Surveillance Measures (Art. 269-279 CrimPC)

• Federal Act on the Intelligence Service

  (14.022)

  • IntelSA, SR 121
  • Federal Council Dispatch IntelSA (in German)
  • Partial revision IntelSA :
    • Consultation document (in German)
    • Explanatory report (in German)

• Federal Act on Police Counterterrorism Measures

  (19.032)

  • PCTA (AS 2021 565) (in German)
  • Dispatch on PCTA (in German)
  • Ordinance on Police Counterterrorism Measures (VPMT, AS 2022 301) (in German)
  • Explanatory report of the Ordinance on Police Counterterrorism Measures (VPMT) (in German)

• Bundesgesetz über administrative Erleichterungen und eine Entlastung des Bundeshaushalts

  (20.067)

  • Bundesgesetz dated 19.03.2021 (AS 2021 654), insb. Pauschalen (Art. 38 und Art. 38a BÜPF)
  • Dispatch on Bundesgesetz dated 19.03.2021 (in German)

• Telecommunications Act

  (96.048 ; 17.058)

  • TCA
  • Dispatch on partial revision Telecommunications Act of 06.09.2017 on amendments of 22.03.2019 (in German)

• Federal Act on Data Protection

  (17.059)

  • Data Protection Act (FADP)
  • Dispatch on FADP (in German)
  • Ordinance on Data Protection (DPO)
  • Explanatory report DPO (in German)