Cadre juridique applicable
Recognition and regulated professional access
- Swiss federal / cantonal allocation of competence — there is no general federal law licensing the architect profession throughout Switzerland; professional access is regulated by certain cantons and otherwise remains unregulated.
- Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons (FZA, SR 0.142.112.681), Annex III — Swiss-EU framework for recognition of professional qualifications.
- Directive 2005/36/EC, Arts. 46–49 and Annex V where applicable — architect-specific training and recognition provisions within the system incorporated through Annex III FZA.
- V-HFKG (SR 414.201), Arts. 55 ff. — national-law basis used by SBFI for relevant third-country higher-education qualification recognition where a recognition route is available.
- Cantonal building and professional law — determines whether recognition, a professional-register entry, experience or another qualification is required to sign plans, direct works or perform another reserved activity.
Exercice professionnel en Suisse
- Unregulated cantons / activities — prior formal recognition is not required solely to practise architecture, although building law and project-specific requirements still apply.
- Regulated cantons / activities — the foreign qualification must be recognised and any cantonal registration or professional-access condition must be satisfied before the reserved activity is undertaken.
- BGMD (SR 935.01), Arts. 1–4 — notification and qualification-check procedure for qualifying EU/EFTA service providers carrying out a regulated architectural activity temporarily in Switzerland.
Autorités et registres compétents
- SBFI — recognition where SBFI is the competent federal authority and guidance on the applicable recognition route.
- Competent cantonal construction / professional authority — professional-access, plan-signature, register and supervision requirements in regulated cantons.
- REG Foundation — professional register relevant where cantonal law, procurement conditions or the professional-access route refers to a REG entry; it is not a general federal licensing authority.
- SBFI declaration centre — notification route for qualifying temporary EU/EFTA services in regulated architectural activities.