Europäisches Zentrum für Föderalismus-Forschung

Europäische Länderberichte

Horizontale Kooperation zwischen den Kantonen und die systematisch-pragmatische Zusammenarbeit in der Zentralschweiz

Dieter Freiburghaus / Vital Zehnder

S. 270-283

Switzerland remains strongly federal, with the 26 cantons enjoying autonomy in many policy areas. Often, however, the cantons are too small for optimal political solutions: most activities by citizens and firms transcend cantonal borders and the different rules and regulations cause them extra costs; in addition, cantonal policies tend to have spill-over effects on their neighbours and economies of scale cannot be achieved. Among possible solutions to these problems, the option of increasing centralisation or merging cantons is politically unacceptable. The only path remaining is closer horizontal co-operation between cantons, which of course involves negotiation and inter-cantonal agreements. Unfortunately, such co-operation has several disadvantages too. It generates extra costs, limits cantonal autonomy and reduces the democratic influence of citizens. In other words, there is a trade-off between efficiency and legitimacy. In recent years, the six cantons of central Switzerland have been trialling a new approach to co-operation. It is systematic in that all cantonal activities are screened for opportunities for closer co-operation, but it is also pragmatic in that only cost-effective projects are selected. Similarly, it is systematic in that institutions have been created to facilitate and support co-operation, but pragmatic in that projects are approved and carried out on an intergovernmental basis.

Zitiervorschlag für diesen Artikel:
Freiburghaus, Dieter/Zehnder, Vital 2003: Horizontale Kooperation zwischen den Kantonen und die systematisch-pragmatische Zusammenarbeit in der Zentralschweiz, in: Europäisches Zentrum für Föderalismus-Forschung (Hrsg.): Jahrbuch des Föderalismus 2003. Föderalismus, Subsidiarität und Regionen in Europa, Baden-Baden: Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft, S. 270-283.