Location and Day of the Government Council Meeting (ORVRR)

1. The sessions of the Government Council generally take place in the town hall in Bern.

1. The Executive Council typically convenes for its weekly meeting on Wednesdays. During the sessions of the Grand Council, business may be distributed over two meeting days (Tuesday and Wednesday).

2. The Executive Council annually determines the dates of the regular meetings and the retreat sessions.

3. Any member of the Executive Council may request the convening of a meeting from the President of the Executive Council.

1. If circumstances require, the meetings of the Government Council shall take place via telephone or video conferences or through other means, such as in writing by way of a circulation procedure (Art. 4 para. 4 OrG).

2. The members of the Government Council, the State Secretary, or the Communications Officer of the Government Council shall only use information and telecommunication resources that are

a) provided by the canton to cantonal employees, or

b) approved for official use by the competent authorities according to the Ordinance of January 24, 2018, on the Information and Telecommunication Technology of the Cantonal Administration (ICTV).

3. They are responsible for ensuring that third parties do not gain knowledge of the content of the meeting. Recording the meeting is not permitted.

1. The President of the Government ensures the expedient submission and execution of business, as well as their timely and substantive coordination.

a) They determine the manner of negotiation in accordance with Article 4, Paragraph 4 of the Organizational Law (OrG) in consultation with the Secretary of State.

b) In the case of presidential decisions pursuant to Article 15, Paragraph 1 of the OrG, the requesting directorate or state chancellery must justify to the President of the Government why it is not possible to conduct a negotiation.

2. The President of the Government independently regulates the following formal matters

a) Determination of the non-initiation of a referendum,

b) Promotion of members of the army officer corps,

c) Acceptance of resignations of cantonal representatives from commissions,

d) Decisions regarding official residences.

1. The Executive Council makes fundamental and important decisions as a collective body. These include, in particular, the determination of government policy, fundamental planning, guiding resolutions in legislative procedures and financial matters, as well as important personnel decisions.

2. The members of the Executive Council shall inform the collective body at an early stage about occurrences of significant importance within the area of responsibility of their directorate.

1. If the government council decides on appeals, the member of the government council who signed the contested order or decision shall recuse themselves. They may express their opinion on the matter beforehand.

Each department shall submit to the State Chancellery the complete government council affairs by no later than Thursday, which are to be scheduled for the meeting of the following week.

The compilation of all government council affairs forms the agenda for the meeting.

The matters are considered based on the application (accompanying sheet) and relevant documents such as draft resolutions or presentations. The accompanying sheet is digitally approved by the applying director or by the State Secretary. Documents and government council matters classified as "Secret" must be approved in writing.

For matters that can be handled jointly (block matters), presentations do not need to be prepared. Additionally, matters that serve for discussion and do not lead to a resolution can also be placed on the agenda.

1. The result of the co-report procedure shall be communicated to the Executive Council when the matter is placed on the agenda, either in the attachment sheet and, if applicable, in an accompanying letter, an evaluation table, or through other suitable documents.

2. All co-reports and any responses to co-reports must be attached to the matter.

3. ...

1. The State Secretary shall participate in the meetings in an advisory capacity. He or she may be represented by a Deputy State Secretary.

2. After the conclusion of the deliberations, the business shall be forwarded to the State Chancellery with the necessary instructions from the State Secretary or a Deputy State Secretary.

3. The State Chancellery shall prepare a resolution protocol containing the following information

a) Names of the attendees,

b) Titles of the business items,

c) Any remarks regarding their handling,

d) Resolutions of the Government Council.

4. ...

1. Decisions of the government council are only signed if they are issued in letter form.

2. Decisions issued in letter form are generally signed by the president of the government council and by the state secretary.

3. Administrative decisions in letter form are signed by the state secretary.

1. The State Chancellery communicates the resolutions of the Executive Council to the requesting directorates, which then notify the affected parties. Correspondence from the Executive Council is dispatched by the State Chancellery.

1. The Governing Council regularly informs the public about its decisions and deliberations.

2. As a general rule, the Governing Council consults the head of the Office for Communication during its meetings. The Office for Communication submits proposals to the Governing Council for the conduct of press conferences and the release of written information. The information is provided as promptly, comprehensively, accurately, and clearly as circumstances allow.

1. The Government Council may invite individuals from the administration as well as external third parties to hearings at its meetings.

1. Voting shall be conducted openly and by a show of hands. Abstention is not permitted.

2. For the types of negotiations pursuant to Article 4, Paragraph 4 of the OrG, voting may be conducted in another suitable manner other than by a show of hands.

If a transaction is undisputed, the offer is deemed accepted.

1. Contested Matters Shall Be Put to a Vote. The order of voting shall be determined analogously according to the relevant provisions of the Rules of Procedure for the Grand Council.

2. Each member of the Executive Council is entitled to have it recorded in the minutes of the decision that they have opposed a resolution.

1. Appointments are made openly and by a show of hands.

2. At the request of a member of the government council, the appointment is conducted secretly with ballot papers.

3. For the types of proceedings according to Article 4, Paragraph 4 of the OrG[[7]], appointments can be made in a suitable manner other than by a show of hands or ballot papers.

1. Appointed is the person who has united the absolute majority of the votes of the members of the council present.

1. If no candidacy receives an absolute majority, a second ballot takes place. The candidate who secures a relative majority of votes is appointed. In the event of a tie, the President makes the decision.

2. Article 5, paragraph 2 of the OrG remains reserved.

1. The government council shall generally appoint committees from among its members at the beginning of the legislative period and designate their presidencies. The committees may invite individuals from the administration as well as external third parties to participate in the consultations.

2. The committees prepare the dossiers to be submitted to the collegium for decision-making. They possess no independent decision-making authority.

3. The minutes and working documents of the committees are available to all members of the government council, as well as to the secretary of state.

1. After general elections, the Executive Council assigns the directorates at the first meeting of the legislative period.

2. After by-elections, the allocation of the directorates takes place at the first meeting following the assumption of office by the newly elected members of the Executive Council.

3. The Executive Council appoints a deputy for each director (Art. 8 Organizational Law).

4. In special cases, the Executive Council may designate an extraordinary deputy.

5. The Executive Council may temporarily assign individual organizational units of another directorate to one of its members.

1. The Executive Council decides on the basis of a report by the Directorate of Internal Affairs and Justice or, if the latter is concerned, on the basis of a report by the State Chancellery regarding conflicts of jurisdiction between the directorates.

2. In cases of conflicts of jurisdiction between the Directorate of Internal Affairs and Justice and the State Chancellery, the President of the Executive Council determines which directorate is to present the report.

1. The Government Council employs the following management instruments

a) the General Secretary Conference (GSC),

b) the bodies for digital administration and ICT in accordance with the Ordinance of 11 January 2023 on Digital Administration (DAV)[[10]](#enumeration_itemtext_content_fn_2606342_2_10_c),

c) the Cantonal Procurement Conference (CPC),

d) the Conference of Personnel Officers of the Directorates, the State Chancellery, the Judiciary, and the Universities (PECO),

e) the Finance and Controlling Conference (FICON).

f) ...

2. It shall further regulate their scope of activities and organization by ordinance or regulation.

1. The State Chancellery prepares a schedule of deadlines (template planning) for the decrees that are submitted to the Grand Council.

1. All draft decrees are submitted to the Service for Accompanying Legislation, Jurassian Affairs, and Bilingualism of the State Chancellery for formal and substantive examination.

1. The Regulation of November 11, 1987, on the Council Credit is amended as follows

1. The following decrees are repealed

1. Rules of Procedure of December 29, 1942, for the Government Council,

2. Ordinance of May 15, 1970, on the Delegation of Administrative Powers of the Government Council (Amendment of Existing Competence Norms).

1. This regulation shall enter into force on January 1, 1996.