Published on 13 November 2025

Opinion in consultations

Before opening a consultation procedure, the lead department or office invites the jointly interested administrative units to comment on the draft consultation document as part of the office consultation procedure (Art. 4 GOAO). Administrative units with a technical connection to the matter and administrative bodies responsible for assessing financial, legal or formal aspects are considered to be jointly interested parties. If a matter concerns the principle of freedom of information, the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC) shall also be consulted.

If the FDPIC is not invited by the lead authority to comment during the office consultation, even though the business concerns the principle of freedom of information, he will comment during the consultation procedure if required. He will also comment during the consultation procedure if an existing difference between the department or office and the FDPIC has not been correctly reported in the consultation documents.