As of January 1, 2016, the digital versions and no longer the printed editions of the official publications of the Swiss Federation [i.e. Federal Law Gazette (BBl), Official Collection of Federal Law (AS) and Systematic Collection of Federal Law (SR)] are legally binding.

The legal texts available on the web portal of the Swiss Confederation in PDF-format for several years are a major facilitation for citizens, especially for students and legal professionals in their daily work. However, official printed editions of the official publications which are much appreciated by bibliophile users will still remain available in the future.

In case of differences between the printed and the digital versions of the Official Collection of Federal Law (AS) or the Federal Law Gazette. (BBl) the digital versions shall prevail with effect as per January 1, 2016 . Nothing has changed, however, on the precedence of the Official Collection of Federal Law (AS) over the Systematic Collection of Federal Law (SR).

     REFERENCE:

• Website of the Swiss Federal Competence Center for Official Publications (KAV): Q&A about the switch to electronic publications and new website features
• Federal Act on Collections of Federal Law and the Federal Journal (PDF, 152 KB)
• Ordinance to Federal Act on Collections of the Federal Law Official and the Federal Law Gazette. (PDF, 151 KB)
• Total revison of the Ordinance to the Federal Publication Act: Explanatory Report (PDF, 682 KB)
• Federal Council Dispatch regarding the amendment to the Federal Publicaton Act (PDF, 151 KB)