State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Switzerland)
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO Switzerland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (often termed as SECO) is Switzerland's governmental center of expertise for economic policy, which includes economic development cooperation.[1]
| |
 | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | Federal administration of Switzerland |
| Headquarters | |
Agency executive | |
Parent agency | Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research |
| Website | seco.admin.ch |
Together with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Peace and Human Rights Division (PHRD) of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, it is in charge of implementing Switzerland's international cooperation.[2]
History
SECO was created in 1999 by the merger of the then Federal Office of Foreign Economic Affairs and the Federal Office for Economic Development and Employment[a] (formerly known as Federal Office of Industry, Crafts and Labor, FOICL).[b][3] SECO was described at the time as a "superdepartment" for all things related to Economic affairs in Switzerland.[3]
FOICL was created in 1929 as a result of the merger between the Division of Industry and Trade[c] and the Federal Office of Labor.[d][4]