1. Responsibilities of the Directorate of Economic Affairs, Energy, and Environment (ORVWEU)

1. The Directorate of Economy, Energy and Environment (EEE) performs, subject to the jurisdiction of other directorates, all tasks

a) in the area of economic development,

b) in the area of the labor market,

c) in the areas of energy, air pollution control, and emission protection,

d) in the area of agriculture, including vocational training,

e) in the area of veterinary services,

f) in the areas of forestry and natural hazards,

g) in the areas of food and consumer goods as well as tobacco products and electronic cigarettes,

h) in the area of chemicals,

i) in the areas of nature and soil conservation,

k) in the areas of fisheries and the renaturalization of public waters,

l) in the areas of hunting and wildlife protection,

m) in the areas of environmental security, environmental impact assessments, sustainable development, and climate.

2. The Directorate of Economy, Energy and Environment

a) coordinates the activities of the directorates in the sectors of economy, agriculture, environment, nature, forestry, natural hazards, food and chemicals, energy, climate, and sustainable development,

b) is responsible for inter-cantonal coordination as well as communication with federal authorities within its area of responsibility,

c) ...

d) decides in its area of responsibility in all cases not expressly assigned to the Grand Council, the Government Council, or another authority.

1. Transactions for which subsidies were granted before January 1, 2001, based on the Federal Act of March 20, 1970, on the Improvement of Living Conditions in Mountainous Areas [16], remain under the jurisdiction of the Office for Economic Development.

1. The Directorate of Economy, Energy, and Environment is divided, according to Appendix 1, into the General Secretariat (GS EEE) and the following offices

a) Office for Agriculture and Nature (LANAT),

b) Office for Forestry and Natural Hazards (OFNH),

c) ...,

d) Office for Economy (OFE),

d1) Office for Unemployment Insurance (OUI),

e) ...,

f) Cantonal Laboratory (CL),

g) Office for Environment and Energy (OEE),

g1) Office for Veterinary Affairs (OVA).

2. The General Secretariat and the offices are structured into staffs, departments, and other organizational units as needed.

3. Decentralized branches of the central administration are established for the following subject areas

a) agricultural advisory services,

b) forestry, hunting, fishing, nature conservation, and veterinary affairs,

c) regional economic development and the promotion of economy and innovation,

d) public employment services,

e) unemployment compensation.

The tasks in the area of soil protection shall be carried out by the authorities responsible on December 31, 2019, until June 30, 2020.

1. In the domain of the Directorate of Economic Affairs, Energy and Environment, the following public law enterprises and institutions are active

a Bern Foundation for Agricultural Credits (BAK),

b **\*** Bern Building Insurance (GVB).

c **\*** ...

2. The Directorate of Economic Affairs, Energy and Environment represents the canton in all matters concerning these enterprises and institutions. It ensures the timely information of the Executive Council on significant issues and submits the necessary proposals.

3. Mutatis mutandis to paragraph 2, it manages the following canton-owned stakes in privately organized companies and institutions

a **\*** BKW AG,

b **\*** Bern Airport AG,

c **\*** Messepark Bern AG,

d **\*** Made in Bern AG.

1. Article 2 Paragraph 1 Letter g1, Article 8a, and Article 12 Paragraph 1 Letter c as well as Annex 1 are retroactively applicable from January 1, 2021.

1. The Economic, Energy, and Environmental Directorate is associated with the following standing commissions established by special legislation

- a Economic Commission,

- b-c *** ...

- d *** Cantonal Labor Market Commission,

- e Conciliation Offices,

- f *** Commission for Hunting and Wildlife Protection,

- g *** Bern Hunting Examination Commission,

- h Fisheries Commission,

- i Expert Commission for Nature Conservation,

- k-m *** ...

- n *** School Council for Agricultural and Rural Domestic Education and Consultation,

- o *** Expert Commission for Fruits and Berries,

- p-q *** ...

- r Lease Commission,

- s-t *** ...

- u Commission for Animal Protection,

- v *** Commission for Animal Experiments.

- w *** ...

2. The Government Council and the Economic, Energy, and Environmental Directorate may establish additional non-standing advisory commissions.

1. The Director manages the Directorate and decides all matters within the Directorate's area of responsibility, unless the decision-making authority is transferred to the General Secretariat, an office, or another organizational unit by legislation or the rules of procedure.

2. He or she issues rules of procedure and determines the detailed organization of the Directorate, in particular

a) the structuring of offices into departments and divisions,

b) the allocation of specific tasks to departments and divisions,

c) the powers of representation and authorization to sign,

d) the arrangement for representation,

e) * the leadership principles,

f) * the personnel strategy and the internal competence distribution in human resources,

g) * the internal and external information and communication.

3. He or she issues job descriptions for all employees directly reporting to him or her and approves the organizational regulations in accordance with Article 6 paragraph 2.

1. The Secretary-General or General Secretary and the heads of departments ensure the fulfillment of the tasks of their organizational unit. They cooperate, as necessary, with other organizational units of the directorate and administration, as well as with external administrative entities.

2. They set out in writing the tasks, competencies, and responsibilities of the employees and delineate the organization and processes of their organizational unit in an organizational regulation, to the extent that the rules of procedure require supplementation.

3. These provisions apply mutatis mutandis to the heads of staffs, departments, and decentralized branches.

1. The General Secretariat is responsible for

a. advising and assisting the Director in fulfilling their duties,

b. reviewing applications, affairs, and submissions presented by the offices of the Directorate, unless otherwise specified,

c. coordinating inter-office activities within the Directorate,

d. the co-reporting procedure, unless otherwise specified,

e. handling responses to parliamentary initiatives, monitoring implementation, and preparing parliamentary matters,

f. facilitating communication with the Executive Council, the State Chancellery, the organs of the Grand Council, the directorates, and the authorities of the federal government and other cantons, unless assigned to another office,

g. all legal matters of the Directorate and its offices, except those concerning the AVA,

g1. instructing appeal procedures of the Directorate and representing the Directorate and the Executive Council within the Directorate's jurisdiction before cantonal and federal courts and appellate bodies through the legal department,

g2. preparing legislation within the jurisdiction of the Directorate and assisting offices in their legislative tasks,

h. managing financial, accounting, and personnel matters, bilingualism, information technology, and communication for the entire Directorate, except for the financial and accounting matters of the AVA related to enforcement tasks funded by federal law,

h1. coordinating additional cross-cutting tasks of the Directorate (e.g., space utilization, procurement),

i. ...

k. the administrative management of GVB and BKW AG in accordance with guidelines on the management, control, and supervision of other entities performing public tasks and holdings in the public interest (PCG guidelines),

k1. assuming the owner role for other entities performing public tasks and holdings in the public interest overseen by the Directorate, if required for governance reasons,

l. leading projects or committees of strategic significance for the canton or the Directorate of Economy, Energy, and Environment on behalf of the Director.

2. ...

1. The Office for Agriculture and Nature is responsible for

a) the implementation of agricultural policy measures,

b) agricultural structural improvements as well as innovation and sales promotion,

c) agricultural and rural domestic science education and advisory services,

c1) dairy industry advisory services,

d) arable farming, fruit, vegetable, and viticulture,

d1) agricultural plant protection,

e) ...

f) animal production,

g) ...

h) soil protection,

i) supervision of agricultural land law,

i1) agricultural lease law,

i2) agricultural issues in spatial planning and construction within the agricultural zone,

k) preservation of the diversity of wild plants and animals in their original habitats,

l) nature conservation, particularly species protection, biotope protection, and protective designations,

l1) ecological compensation,

m) fishing and hunting, particularly the protection, care, and management of fish and wildlife stocks, including the administration of royalties,

n) renaturation of public waters,

o) police duties in nature conservation, fishing, and hunting,

p) ...

q) management support and cross-sectional tasks within its area of responsibility,

r) the administrative management of the Bern Foundation for Agricultural Credits according to PCG guidelines.

2. The agricultural and rural domestic science education and advisory centers are subordinate to the Office for Agriculture and Nature.

3. ...

1. The Office of Veterinary Affairs is responsible for

a) animal health, animal traffic, and the animal disease fund,

b) enforcement of federal food legislation in the areas of primary production of food of animal origin and slaughtering,

c) the practice of the veterinary profession and veterinary medicines,

d) animal welfare,

e) matters related to dogs,

f) management support and cross-sectional tasks within its area of responsibility.

2. The employees responsible for food inspection at the Office of Veterinary Affairs perform their function as officers of the judicial police.

1. The Office for Forests and Natural Hazards is responsible for

a * the preservation and protection of the forest and its functions,

a1 * the preservation and promotion of habitat and species diversity in the forest,

b * forest management and forest improvement as well as their promotion,

c * state forest management,

d-e * ...,

f * protection against natural hazards, including the preparation and periodic updating of the Earthquake Safety Form for the building permit procedure,

g-h * ...,

i * leadership support and cross-sectional tasks within its area of responsibility.

1. The Office for Economic Affairs is responsible for

a **\*** regional and structural economic development as well as the promotion of economy and innovation,

b **\*** international economic relations and the enforcement of economic regulations related to foreign affairs,

c **\*** tourism, including the promotion of tourism infrastructure and the regulation of tourism professions,

d **\*** market supervision in general business law, particularly in the areas of store opening hours, consumer credit, pawnbroking, metrology, price disclosure, hospitality, and businesses offering high-risk activities,

e **\*** the promotion of residential construction and homeownership,

f **\*** the labor market, including the admission of foreign workers, the enforcement of accompanying measures for free movement of persons, the authorization for employment agencies and personnel leasing, the fight against illegal work, the monitoring of compliance with job notification obligations, and the supervision of employment conciliation offices,

g **\*** ...

h **\*** labor supervision, including the enforcement of labor law, workplace safety and health, safety of technical installations and equipment, and home work,

i **\*** statistics and monitoring of developments within its area of responsibility,

k **\*** ...

l **\*** management support and cross-functional tasks within its area of responsibility,

m **\*** the administrative supervision of Flughafen Bern AG, Messepark Bern AG, and Made in Bern AG according to PCG guidelines.

2. ...

3. It operates the Watch Observation Office.

1. The Office for Unemployment Insurance implements, within the framework of agreements with the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research,

a) the federal legislation on mandatory unemployment insurance and insolvency compensation,

b) public employment services according to federal legislation on employment services and temporary employment agencies.

It maintains its own financial and accounting system as well as a legal service for the implementation pursuant to paragraph 1.

2. It operates

a) the Regional Employment Centers (REC),

b) the Logistics Center for Labor Market Measures (LAM),

c) the Cantonal Office (CO),

d) the Cantonal Unemployment Fund (CUF),

e) the Steering Group for Interinstitutional Cooperation (IIC).

3. It is responsible for management support and cross-sectional tasks within its jurisdiction.

1. The Cantonal Laboratory is responsible for all matters assigned to it by legislation or whose nature requires its involvement as a specialist authority.

2. It serves as the specialized agency for ABC issues as well as for Biological Safety in accordance with Article 42 of the Federal Act of October 7, 1983, on Environmental Protection (Environmental Protection Act, EPA) and coordinates enforcement in this area.

3. It is specifically responsible for

a) the enforcement of federal food legislation, with the exception of the primary production sectors of foodstuffs of animal origin and slaughter,

a1) * the implementation of federal tobacco products legislation, insofar as the enforcement does not fall within the competence of other offices, other directorates, or municipalities,

b) the enforcement of federal chemicals legislation pursuant to the provisions of the introductory ordinance of May 24, 2006, on federal chemicals legislation (EV ChemG),

c) the enforcement of the Federal Council's Ordinance of February 27, 1991, on Protection against Major Accidents (Major Accident Ordinance, StFV) under the provisions of the introductory ordinance of September 22, 1993, to the federal Major Accident Ordinance (EV StFV),

d) the enforcement of federal radiation protection legislation, insofar as enforcement is not reserved for the Confederation,

d1) * the enforcement of the first section (use of solariums) and - insofar as persons with proof of expertise with exams are concerned - the second section (use of products for cosmetic purposes) of the ordinance of February 27, 2019, on the Federal Act on Protection against Hazards from Non-ionizing Radiation and Sound (V-NISSG),

e) the enforcement of the Federal Council's Ordinance of July 5, 2000, on Beverage Packaging (VGV), the Federal Council's Ordinance of June 15, 2001, on Safety Advisors for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road, Rail, and Waterways (Safety Advisors Ordinance, GGBV), the Federal Council's Ordinance of May 9, 2012, on the Handling of Organisms in Contained Systems (Containment Ordinance, ESV), and the Federal Council's Ordinance of September 10, 2008, on the Handling of Organisms in the Environment (Release Ordinance, FrSV),

f) the enforcement of the Federal Council's Ordinance of November 26, 2003, on the Declaration for Agricultural Products from Production Prohibited in Switzerland (Agricultural Declaration Ordinance, LDV),

g) * the enforcement of market surveillance under the Federal Council's Ordinance of November 1, 2023, on the Placing of Fertilizers on the Market (Fertilizer Ordinance, DüV),

h) * the licensing system within its area,

i) * the management support and cross-sectional tasks within its area of responsibility.

4. ...

5. The employees of the Cantonal Laboratory responsible for food control perform their functions as organs of the judicial police.

1. The Office for the Environment and Energy is responsible for

a) advising the government and administration on energy and climate issues,

b) promoting efficient energy use and the deployment of renewable energies at the cantonal and municipal levels, as well as among private individuals,

c) planning and organizing the implementation of the cantonal energy strategy,

d) acting as a specialized agency for the enforcement of cantonal energy legislation and executing cantonal tasks in the area of electricity supply,

e) processing approval procedures for energy lines, either as a specialized unit or as the lead authority,

f) assessing the environmental impact assessment and applying to the decision-making authority about the measures to be taken,

g) coordinating cross-departmental and cross-directorate environmental issues and addressing environmental issues, unless another specialized unit is responsible,

h) promoting sustainable development at the cantonal and municipal levels,

i) executing cantonal tasks in the areas of

1. air pollution control and

2. protection against non-ionizing radiation and noise control in industrial and commercial premises,

k) providing leadership support and cross-sectional tasks within its area of responsibility.

1. The Directorate comprises the following senior positions

a) one Secretary General,

b) **\*** two Deputy Secretaries General, and

c) **\*** seven Department Heads.

d) **\*** ...

2. The Rules of Procedure specify the other senior positions.

1. The following enactments are amended

1. Ordinance of 18 November 1992 on the Economic Commission [[13]](#enumeration_itemtext_content_fn_3147884_2_13_c)

2. Introductory Ordinance of 24 April 1985 to the Federal Animal Protection Legislation [[14]](#enumeration_itemtext_content_fn_3147885_2_14_c)

3. Ordinance of 25 September 1985 on the Commission for Animal Experiments [[15]](#enumeration_itemtext_content_fn_3147886_2_15_c)

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