The Swiss reform of the allocation of public tasks: Toward more Effectiveness with the conventions-programs?

The effectiveness of public policies management significantly depends on a clear allocation of tasks between levels of government. In 2004 was accepted the Swiss reform of the allocation of tasks in order to “re-assign” the responsibilities between the federal government and the cantons, and to redefine the values of federalism. Implemented in 2008, the reform allowed for redistributing the public tasks between the institutional levels. The separation was impossible for twenty-nine public tasks however. In order to deal with twenty of these common tasks, the conventions-programs were introduced, which are public law contracts signed by the Confederation with each canton. By selecting five types of conventions-programs applied in six cantons, this article examines whether these contracts allow for stronger effectiveness in this new implementation process, and whether they are the solution to reinforce the vertical cooperation and reduce cantonal inequalities, with attention to two themes: (1) the relationships between the federal and cantonal levels, and (2) the prospect for an emerging multi-level governance which could legitimate the policy making process with the participation of municipalities, private actors and associations