Right archivistic in Switzerland

State of the right archivistic at the federal and cantonal level

In Switzerland, the right archivistic is regulated in a federalistic way: each canton has its own law and/or payment (ordinance) archivistic. Only the canton Tessin does not have archivistic regulation to date. There exists also a archivistic regulation in certain cities and large common. The confederation enacted a law on filing in 1998. That did not have any direct effect on the cantons, the cities and communes although the cantons which legislated after 1998, took as a starting point the federal provisions. Because of the federalism, the regulations are naturally very diverse in particular with regard to the times of protection, they however often offer a similar structure. Each file is resulting from a historical and lawful tradition clean. For example, the files of state of a university canton will not evolve/move in the same environment as those of a canton not-academic.

Archivistic history of the right

Until in the years 1980, the archivistic regulation was summarized most of the time with some regulations registered in the texts regulating the executive functions which was charged with it, except for the Geneva canton which as of 1925 had obtained a " Law on the files publiques". In 1984 and the 1989 cantons of the Jura and Neuchâtel also obtained a law on the files. The motivations of it were very different: for the Jura it was a question of equipping the canton lately created with a archivistic organization, for Neuchâtel it was a question of answering the challenge of the new numerical supports, and of clearing up problematic times of protection.

A new legislative development in taken seat in the Nineties with the emergence of the data laws. Their first priority was the protection of the personality (data protection). That resulted in to reveal archivistic laws " of new a type". Up to now, in addition to the Confederation, eight cantons (Basle-City, Geneva, Glaris, Lucerne, Neuchâtel, and Zurich) adopted a law on the files. Before long the two cantons of Basle-Countryside and Soleure, will into force have a law on the files. Strictly speaking, it acts in the majority case of laws on filing rather of the laws on the files, in measurement or they regulate the processes of filing.

In the cantons of Argovie, of Appenzell Rhodos external, of Appenzell Rhodos interior, of Bern, of Freiburg, of Glaris, Grisons, of Nidwald, Obwald, Gall Saint, Schaffhouse, Schwyz, Thurgovie, Uri, Vaud and Were worth filing is regulated only in one payment of which some go back to 30 years. Often these payments treat files among other relative tendencies with the organization of the state.

In Argovie, a law on the information of the public, the data protection and files (IDAG) is in 2nd reading with the Great Council. It is a first in Switzerland, to melt these three sets of themes in only one statutory text. In Geneva, these three fields were coordinated recently by a succession of legislative revisions: The law on the files (LArch., in 2000 and its payment in 2001), the law on the administrative access to the documents (LIPAD, in 2002) and very recently, the law on the protection of personal data (LPDP, deposited with the Great Council in 2006).

Beside the properly archivistic laws and payments, there exist other specific legal standards affecting the management of the files. Thus for example, the Confederation and the canton of Basle-City know a regulation on the protection of the personal documents. The access to the documents of files can also be limited by the professional secrecy, whose nonrespect is sanctioned by sorrows of fine or prison according to article 321 of the penal code. An exhaustive review of the specific measures would require a considerable work.

Right of access and administrative documents

Certain cantons settled the question of the rights of access to the documents filed in other legal tendencies that texts archivistic. The canton of Were worth did it for example, in the law and the payment on the cultural encouragement. In the cantons of Bern, of Soleure and Vaud the right of access is not regulated in a archivistic law, but in a law and a payment on the access to the public documents. In these three cantons, one considers that the public with right to reach the public documents in so far as another dominating interest is not opposed to it, independently of their current site in the services or the files. Logically the laws and payments on the filing of these cantons contain only marginal notes (Vaud) or no provision (Bern, Soleure) on the access to the filed documents. The Confederation as well as the cantons of Appenzell Rhodos external and Geneva know the principle of access to the public documents. However the access to the filed documents is regulated mainly in the laws and payments of files.

Laws and payments of files at the federal and cantonal level (state at August 15th, 2006)

NB: The legislations in German language are indicated without translation

Confederation

the federal law on the filing of June 26th, 1998 (LAr) (RS 152.1) * Schedule of September 8th, 1999 relating to the federal law on filing (Ordinance on filing, OLAr) (RS 152.11) * Schedule Federal court of the bearing September 27th, 1999 application of the federal law on filing (RS 152.21) * Schedule of October 26th, 1999 of the Federal court of the insurances carrying application of the federal law on filing (RS 152.22) http://www.admin.ch/ch/f/rs/c152_22.html
Other regulations or directives of applications relating on the management of the documents, the site of the federal Files

Canton of Argovie

Verordnung über die Archivierung (Archivverordnung) vom 6. May 1998 (SAR 150.711)

Canton of Appenzell Rhodos external

Gesetz über Information und Akteneinsicht (Informationsgesetz) vom 28. April 1996 (bGS 133.1)
Verordnung über das Archivwesen (Archivverordnung) vom 14. November 1988 (bGS 421.11)

Canton of Appenzell Rhodos interior

Standeskommissionsbeschluss über das Landesarchiv vom 27. Oktober 1992 (BGS 176)

Canton of Basle-Countryside

Verordnung über die Besorgung und die Benützung of Staatsarchivs vom 21. Februar 1961 (SGS 147.12) a new law on the filing (Archivierungsgesetz) of the 11. May 2006 (SGS 163) will come into effect on October 1st, 2006.

Canton of Basle-City

Gesetz über das Archivwesen (Archivgesetz) vom 11. September 1996 (SG 153.600) * Verordnung über die Registraturen und das Archivieren (Registratur- und Archivierungsverordnung) vom 13. Oktober 1998 (SG 153.610)

Canton of Bern

Law on the information of the public (law on 'information, Flax) of November 2nd, 1993 (BAG 107.1) * Schedule on the information of the public (Ordinance on information; OIn) of October 26th, 1994 (BAG 107.111) * Schedule on the Files of the State of Bern of June 24th, 1992 (BAG 421.21)

Canton of Freiburg

Law on the cultural institutions of the State of October 2nd, 1991 (RSF 481.0.1) * Regulation on the files of State of March 2nd, 1993 (RSF 481.1.11)

Canton of Geneva

Law on the information of the public and the access to documents (LIPAD) of October 5th, 2001 (RSG has 2 08) * Law on the file the public ones of December 1st, 2000 (RSG B 2 15) * Implementing regulation of the law on the public records of August 21st, 2001 (RSG B 2 15.01) * Bill on the protection of the personal data (LPDP) of June 7th, 2006 (PL 9870/A 2 12)

Canton of Glaris

Gesetz über das Archivwesen vom 4. May 2003 (GS II A/7/1) * Verordnung zum Archivgesetz vom 25. Oktober 2005 (GS II A/7/2) * Payment über die Organization of Landesarchivs und die Ablieferung von Akten vom 4. April 1972 (GS IV F/3) * Gesetz über den Schütz von Personendaten vom 5. Mia 2002 (GS I F/1)

Canton of the Grisons

Verordnung für das Staatsarchiv Graubünden vom 5. September 1988 (Br 490.100) * Verordnung über die Gemeinde-, Kreis- und Bezirksarchive vom 5. September 1988 (Br 490.150)

Canton of the Jura

Law on information and the access to the official documents of December 4th, 2002 (RSJU 170.801) * Law on the public records of the Republic and Canton of the Jura of October 11th, 1984 (RSJU 441.21) * Schedule on the public records of the Republic and Canton of April 7th, 1988 (RSJU 441.221)

Canton of Lucerne

Gesetz über das Archivwesen (Archivgesetz) vom 16. Juni 2003 (SRL 585) * Verordnung zum Archivgesetz (Archivverordnung) vom 9. Dezember 2003 (SRL 586)

Canton of Neuchâtel

Law on the files of the State of October 9th, 1989 (RSN 442.20)
Stopped execution of the law on the files of the State of May 2nd, 1990 (RSN 442.21) * Decree definitively pouring the double of the file of the public ministry to the service of the files of the State of February 19th, 1992 (RSN 442.22) * Cantonal law on the protection of personality (LCPP), of December 14th, 1982 (RSN 150.30) * Regulations of the cantonal law on the protection of the personality of June 20th, 1988 (RSN 150.31)

Canton of Nidwald

Verordnung über das Staatsarchiv vom 18. Oktober 1996 (GDB 131.21)

Canton of Obwald

Verordnung über das Staatsarchiv vom 18. Oktober 1996 (GDB 131.21)

Canton of Saint Gall

Verordnung über das Staatsarchiv vom 26. Juni 1984 (sGS 271.1) * Verordnung über die Gemeindearchive vom 26. Juni 1984 (sGS 151.57)

Canton of Schaffhouse

Verordnung über das Staatsarchiv und die Archivierung der Verwaltungsakten (Archivverordnung) vom 8. Februar 1994 (SHR 172.301)

Canton of Schwyz

Verordnung über das Archivwesen of Kantons Schwyz vom 1. Juli 1994 (SRSZ 140.611)

Canton of Soleure

Information und Datenschutzgesetz vom 21. Februar 2001 (BGS 114.1) * Information und Datenschutzverordnung vom 10. Dezember 2001 (BGS 114.2) * Weisungen für das Staatsarchiv vom 11. August 1992 (BGS 122.581) the new law on the files was accepted on January 25th, 2006 by the Great Council of the canton. With the expiry of the period chief clerk, on May 12th, 2006, the Council of State de Soleure had not decided yet a date of its implementation.

Canton of Thurgovie

Payment of Regierungsrates über das Staatsarchiv vom 6. Dezember 1988 (RB 432.111) * Verordnung of Regierungsrates über die Gemeindearchive vom 9. Februar 1948 (RB 432.161)

Canton of Uri

Archivreglement vom 4. Juni 2002 (RB 10.6212)

Canton of Were worth

Loi on the promotion of culture (KFG) of November 15th, 1996 (RDV 440.1) * Payment on the promotion of the culture of July 7th, 1999 (RDV 440.100) * Regulation on the files of the administration of State of November 17th, 1982 (RDV 440.102) * Decree concerning the reorganization of the communal records and bourgeoisiales of June 18th, 1922 (RDV 440.103) * Payment on the filing of the legal files of September 5th, 2005 (RDV 173.102) * Law concerning the data protection in personal matter of June 18th, 1984 (RSV 235.1) * Regulations of the law concerning the data protection in personal matter of June 18th, 1984 (RSV 235.101)

Canton of Vaud

Law on the information of September 24th, 2002 (LInfo) (RSV 170.21) * Implementing regulation of the law of September 24th on information (RLInfo) (RSV 170.21.1) * Payment for the cantonal files of Vaud of October 6th, 1989 (RSV 432.11.1)

Canton of Zoug

Archivgesetz vom 29. Januar 2004 (BGS 152.4)

Canton of Zurich

Archivgesetz vom 24. September 1995 (LS 432.11) * Archivverordnung vom 9. Dezember 1998 (LS 432.111)

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