The Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC, German: Eidgenössisches Departement für Umwelt, Verkehr, Energie und Kommunikation, French: Département fédéral de l'environnement, des transports, de l'énergie et des communications, Italian: Dipartimento federale dell'ambiente, dei trasporti, dell'energia e delle comunicazioni, Romansh: Departament federal per ambient, traffic, energia e communicaziun ) is one of the seven departments of the Swiss federal government, headed by a member of the Swiss Federal Council.
The Department is composed of the following offices:
General Secretariat
Federal Office for Spatial Development (ARE): Coordinates area planning between the federal agencies, the cantons and the municipalities.
Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN): Responsible for matters of the environment, including the protection of plants and animals and the protection against noise, air pollution or natural hazards.
Federal Office for Civil Aviation (FOCA): Regulates civil aviation.
Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM): Regulates radio and TV stations, notably the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation.
Federal Office of Energy (FOE): Responsible for the provision of electrical energy at the federal level, as well as for the supervision of dams.
Federal Office of Transport (FOT): Responsible for public transport at the federal level, including the development of the federal rail network and navigation on the Rhine.
Federal Roads Authority (FEDRO): Responsible for the construction, maintenance and operation of the national highway network.
The following independent authorities are affiliated to the DETEC for administrative purposes:
Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (formerly Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau and Investigation Bureau for Railway, Funicular and Boat Accidents).
Federal Communications Commission (ComCom): Regulates the telecommunications market, awards service licences, rules on interconnection disputes and approves frequency and numbering plans.
Federal Inspectorate for Heavy Current Installations (ESTI): Responsible for inspecting low and heavy-current electrical installations.
Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (HSK): Assesses and monitors security and radiation protection in Swiss nuclear installations.
Federal Pipelines Inspectorate (ERI): Responsible for the planning, construction and operation of fuel pipeline systems in Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
Independent Complaints Authority for Radio and Television: Decides on complaints about radio and television programmes.
PostReg: Regulates the Swiss Post.
Railways Arbitration Commission (RACO): Arbitrates in disputes over access to the rail network.
1848–1859: Department of Posts and Construction
1860–1872: Department of Posts
1873–1878: Department of Posts and Telegraph
1879–1962: Department of Posts and Railways
1963–1978: Department of Transport, Communications and Energy
1979–1997: Federal Department of Transport, Communications and Energy
Since 1998: Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications
