publisher: egov sme | sme online on … · on target online-services for sme edition 2007 sme...

Publisher:eGovSME|www.sme.admin.chSME ONLINE SME ONLINE

ONTARGET

Online -Services

for SME

ONTARGET ONLINE -SERVICES FOR SME

EDITION 2007

SME ONLINESME ONLINE Page

TableofContents

ONTARGET ONLINE -SERVICES FOR SME

Dear Entrepreneur,

A lot of time and money can be saved these days.

One click of the mouse is all it takes!

The third edition of our brochure contains the Swiss

Federal Government’s online offer as well as various

other Internet portals of interest to you. I would like

to invite you on a virtual tour of the various online sites.

Take advantage of what digital has to offer! Have fun

surfing the Internet!

Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard

Head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs

General Information

SMEPortal………………………………………………..……………………..……

Social Security

GuideBSV……………………………………………………………………………..

Taxes

FTA…………………………………………………………………………………………..

GS1Switzerland………………………………………………………………..

Business Information

Zefix…………………………………………………………………………………………

Sogc…………………………………………………………………………………………

eofcom………………………………………………………………..………………….

SFSO,eSurvey…………………………………………………………...…………

Foreign Trade

OsecBusinessNetworkSwitzerland……………………….

SERV…………………………………………………………………….………………….

IRG………………………………………………………………….………………………..

SOFI…………………………………………………….……………………………………

SIPPO………………………………………………………………………………………

Innovation

CTI……………………………………………………………………………………………

IGE……………………………………………………………………………………………

Medtech/Biotech……………………………………………………………..

Euresearch……………………………………………………………………………

E-Government

eCH………………………………………………………………...………………………..

Setting Up of a Company

CTIStart-up…………………………………………….………………...…………

04…05

06…07

08…0910…11

12…1314…1516…1718…19

20…2122…2324…2526…2728…29

30…3132…3334…3536…37

38…39

40…41

ONTARGET ONLINE -SERVICES FOR SME EDITION 2007

www.sme.admin.chSME ONLINE

04

SMEPortal

This portal gives company directors a wealth of information and on-line tools: From the start-up phase to current management, you will find answers to your questions as well as electronic applications with practical examples, from dealings with social insurances to questions of financing.

SME ONLINE

05

IAmCreatingMyCompanyHere you can create your company in a very simple way. Filling in the official forms is child’s play thanks to an easy-to-use system which guides you step by step as far as filing the application for entering your company into the commercial register, for VAT, retirement plans or accident insurance.

TopicsStay at the heart of events with the publication of weekly news and monthly newsletters. This information, summarized in a more accessible way, deals with the principal challenges concerning SME in Switzerland. It abounds in practical advice and good addresses.

AddressBookWho to contact for getting support, financing or for submitting your innovative project with a chance to obtain a prize? Here is a simple practical database!

Further Information:State Secretariat forEconomic Affairs SECOPhone 031 323 77 70


SME ONLINE

06 www.bsv.admin.ch/kmu

ForProtectionAndProvisions

The guide offers help to SME with questions about social security and shows ways of solving problems. The guide of the Federal Social Insurance Office was put into effect together with the SECO and the Swiss Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (SGV).

SME ONLINE

07

GuideThe individual social insurances (from old age, survivors’ and invalidity insurance AHV to additional insurances) with important information for SME.

FromCasetoCaseEvents in the company and their consequences on the various insurances: employment, death, changes in wages, short time, retirement, motherhood etc.

ServiceUseful tools like wages slips, specimen letters, legal means, address or headword index.

Further Information: Federal Office for Social Security Phone 031 322 90 11


SME ONLINE

08 www.estv.admin.ch

OptimisingTaxes–ButinaLegalWay

The Federal Tax Administration (FTA) is the national competence centre for taxes. Among other things the portal informs about value added tax, federal direct tax and anticipatory tax.

InternationalTaxComparisonHow high is the tax burden of Swiss companies and private persons compared with other countries and comparing different cantons? The pages of the tax statistics and documentation inform in a comprehensive way.

VAT-ReviewA VAT- inspector has made an appointment with you. Here you find out how a VAT- review takes place and how you can help to make this check go fast and smoothly.

RegistrationasaTaxpayerWith this form you can order the questionnaire for the clarifi- cation of your tax liability concerning the value added tax.

SME ONLINE

09

Further Information: Swiss Federal Tax Administration Phone 031 322 71 06 [email protected]


SME ONLINE

10 www.gs1.ch

VAT–Paper-Free

GS1 Switzerland is a non-profit organisation that provides certificates which are officially recognised by the Swiss Federal Tax Administration for input tax relief.

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AboutGS1SwitzerlandGS1 Switzerland is the business competence centre for improving demand and supply chain processes in the retail, industry and service sectors. GS1 Switzerland is a member of the international GS1 organisation, whose standards are currently implemented in 129 countries and which has over 1 million members worldwide.

GS1SwitzerlandasaRegistrationCentreGS1 Switzerland is the official registration centre and coordi-nates the issuing of certificates. Thanks to the development of totally electronic business processes, Switzerland leads the European e-business movement.

AuthenticElectronicCertificatesYou can obtain digital certificates from GS1 Switzerland which can be then used to process your VAT relief application electronically.

Further Information:GS1 SwitzerlandLänggassstrasse 213012 BernePhone 058 800 72 00Fax 058 800 72 [email protected]


SME ONLINE

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ForSecurityinBusinessTransactions

Searching nationally – finding cantonally: With zefix you can look for all the enterprises which are listed in the cantonal com-mercial registers of companies and find out who your business partners are.

SME ONLINE

12 www.zefix.admin.ch

BusinessNameResearchDoes your business name already exist? A short inquiry gives you a first idea. In order to get a final result you can require a business name research.

FindingtheAnswersQuicklyandComfortablyWould you like to find out who pulls the strings in your partner company, whether a contract is legally signed or would you like to read the publications of the commercial registers of companies?

ExtractsfromtheCommercialRegistersofCompaniesYou can order certified extracts from cantonal commercial registers of companies online.

Further Information: Central Business Names Index Phone 031 322 41 96 [email protected]


SME ONLINE

14 www.sogc.ch

DoYouKnowtheEnvironmentofYourCompany?

Commercial register, bankruptcies, calls to creditors, public pro- curement, company publications and marks. Here you find the daily updated official information to your business surrounding field.

RetrievingDataQuicklyandComfortablyWould you like to find out when a company was founded or are you interested in the annual balance sheet of a bank? All the publications of the Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce (SOGC) can be retrieved easily and free of charge.

ElectronicSubmissionofReportsYou can submit your reports directly to us by means of inter- active forms.

SubscriptionServiceThe alternative to the printed newspaper. Here you can order your personal on-line subscription. You receive thereby daily the selected SHAB messages in electronic form.

SME ONLINE

15

Further Information: Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce Phone 031 324 09 92 [email protected]


SME ONLINE

16 www.eofcom.ch

CommunicationAnytimeandAnywhere

On www.eofcom.ch entrepreneurs can acquire phone numbers like added-value service or free numbers. The site also informs about telecom service providers and their services.

SME ONLINE

17

SearchforOwnersofNumbersWho uses which numbers? The site www.eofcom.ch/liste offers information about users of free numbers (0800), added-value service numbers (0900, 0901, 0906) or numbers with shared costs between provider and user (0848).

OrderingaServiceNumberUnder this heading you get a free of charge number or aservice number for your charged services.

TelecomServiceProvidersMobile radio, satellite services or WLAN: here you find all the telecom service providers at a glance.

Further Information: Federal Office of Communications Phone 032 327 55 11 [email protected]


SME ONLINE

18 www.statistics.admin.ch

ReliableData–AlwaysUp-to-Date

Direct access any time to the latest figures of the Swiss economy and society. Reference numbers, the latest press releases and detailed data records on request.

PressReleasesTwice or three times a week the latest statistical data and reports.

Up-to-DateDataandReportsEmployment and income, consumer price index, index of producer and import prices, production and turnover, construction and construction expenditures etc.

SME ONLINE

19

Further Information: Swiss Federal Statistical Office Phone 032 713 60 11 [email protected]


SME ONLINE

20 www.osec.chSME ONLINE

21

YourGuidetoForeignBusiness

Companies from Switzerland and Liechtenstein who are inter-ested in expanding into foreign markets find here the answers to their questions about export and external economic affairs.

AlltheServicesataGlanceOsec advice for almost every step in expansion: from the first gathering of information to the search for a business partner.

InformationonCountries,BranchesofIndustryandotherTopicsHere we present a wealth of information from the world of external economic affairs, markets, customs and import regulations, taxes and much more.

EuroInfoCenterSwitzerlandThis is probably the most comprehensive Swiss data source for information about accessing the markets of the EU and EEA.

Further Information: Business Network Switzerland Phone 0844 811 812 [email protected]


SME ONLINE

23SME ONLINE

22 www.serv-ch.com

MakingExportsSafer

Swiss Export Risk Insurance (SERV) replaced the Swiss Export Risk Guarantee Agency (ERG). It safeguards exports against economic and political risks, whatever the size of the transaction or the exporter. SERV now also insures private buyer risk.

AboutSERVWhat is SERV? Visit this page for an overview of our product range and of SERV’s organisation and business policy. Details of this institution’s history and the legal foundations that provide the framework for its activities are also to be found here.

ProductInformation,ServicesandProcessesWhich SERV products provide the best possible protection for your export business? What countries and banks are eligible for export risk insurance? How can you apply for insurance cover?

NewsWhat‘s new at SERV? The News page provides regular information on SERV news and events, and about changes in our cover policy. Subcribe here to our electronic newsletter for automatic updates on the latest developments.

For further information: SERV Swiss Export Risk InsurancePhone 044 384 47 [email protected]


SME ONLINE

24 www.swiss-irg.com

ForInvestmentsintotheMarketsofTomorrow

www.swiss- irg.com comprehensively informs you about the Swiss Investment Risk Guarantee (IRG). It promotes and facilitates investment projects in developing countries.

SME ONLINE

25

OurProductWe cover political risks like nationalisation, war, risk of transfer. Here you get information about our services and about the amount of the guarantee sum.

ChargesAccording to the form of investment different charges apply.

FormsDownloading, filling in, faxing. Fast and unbureaucratic.

Further Information: Swiss Investment Risk Guarantee Phone 044 384 47 77 [email protected]


SME ONLINE

26 www.sofi.ch

ForFuturePartnerships

The Swiss Organisation for Facilitating Investments (SOFI) offers companies the full range of services they require to invest successfully in economies under development and in transition: from the birth of an investment idea to the implementation of an investment project.

ServicesSOFI helps you to develop your investment and market entry strategies. We support you in preparing your business plan and getting access to financing. We assist you in finding a business partner and in joint negotiations.

SECOStart-upFund(SSF)The SSF provides you with a credit of half a million Swiss francs or fifty percent of your project costs for the first three years of project operation in selected countries.

SupportedProjectsFind out more about the projects that SOFI has supported.

SME ONLINE

27

Further Information: Swiss Organisation for Facilitating Investments Phone 044 249 45 65 [email protected]


SME ONLINE

28 www.sippo.ch

Bridge-BuilderforImporters

The Swiss Import Promotion Programme (SIPPO) builds bridges on behalf of the federal government between small and mid-sized export companies in both emerging countries and countries in transition as well as Swiss importers.

OnlineMarketplaceOur electronic marketplace features the new Exporters’Directory, giving you an immediate overview of all that exporting com-panies in our partner countries have to offer.

PromotionSIPPO brings together importers and potential suppliers from partner countries at trade fairs, contact forums and buying /selling missions.

SIPPOUpon request, SIPPO provides active support to importers in searching and selecting potential trading partners. Our services for importers include the preparation of company profiles of possible co-operation partners.

SME ONLINE

29

Further information:Swiss Import Promotion ProgrammeStampfenbachstrasse 85P.O. Box 4928035 ZurichPhone 044 365 52 [email protected]


SME ONLINE

31

«SciencetoMarket»

The CTI promotes projects in applied research and development (R & D) which are carried out jointly by companies and academia. It finances academias contributions to the projects – salaries of about 1000 researchers annually.

SME ONLINE

30 www.kti-cti.ch

DoubleBenefitforSMEsBridging between laboratory and market, the CTI promotes industrial innovation processes. Enterprises can profit twofold: from the results of the projects and from the training of market-oriented R & D - cadre.

OpenforAllDisciplinesR&D projects from all areas of science are eligible for sponsorship if they can demonstrate an adequately high level of innovation and positive prospects for society or the economy.

ServiceforHighlyInnovativeBusinessIdeasResearchers are offered the opportunity to realise a highly innovative product based on existing basic research and for which there is already a business idea and a product.

Further information:Innovation Promotion AgencyPhone 031 324 96 [email protected]


SME ONLINE

32 www.ige.ch|www.ip-search.ch

FortheCreativeandInnovative

On www.ige.ch you‘ll find a lot of useful information about trademarks, patents, designs, and copyrights. www.ip-search.ch offers professional services in the area of technology and patent information and trademark searches.

PatentsPatents are proof of the innovative strength of an enterprise. A patent gives its owner the exclusive right to commercially use the invention described in the patent. Furthermore, patents are important sources of information on technologies and competitors.

TrademarksA trademark creates identity and builds up trust. Trademark protection gives the owner the exclusive right to use a trademark to identify goods or services and to dispose of it (e.g. licensing). With e - trademark you can register your trademark quickly, simply and securely over the internet.

DesignsDesigns appeal to the senses and provoke feelings. Imitations in this area are not unusual. If you register your design you can effectively fight misuse.

SME ONLINE

33

Further Information: Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property Phone 031 325 25 25from 1.6.2007: Phone 031 377 77 77 [email protected]


SME ONLINE

35SME ONLINE

34 www.swissbiotech.org|www.swiss-medtech.org

FutureBranchesofTrade

The platforms of bio - and medtechnology assure a fast and easy access to information and services of both lines of business useful for SME, investors and researchers.

ConcreteInnovationWho is doing research in what area? Who offers what products? Company and research profiles facilitate the search for the right partners.

LawsandLegislationAll regulations at a glance and up -to -date.

TailoredInformationAccess to information is tailored to the various target groups of founders, entrepreneurs, researchers or investors.



SME ONLINE

36 www.euresearch.ch

ForInnovativeSME

Euresearch is the Swiss net of information for European research partners. It’s aim is to facilitate the access of Swiss SME to European research and development (R & D) projects, therefore paving their ways to new markets.

InteractivePlatformE-ALERTYou define the profile of your interests – and we will regularly send you appropriate information about European R & D - projects.

SME-ServiceSwiss SME can take part in European R&D – projects and they can have their development expenses financed.

EuresearchGuidesYoutoYourDestinationWould you like to take part in a European research programme or are you looking for support? We find the appropriate EU-programme and competent partners for you. And we support you with your project proposals and contract conclusions.

SME ONLINE

37

Further Information: Euresearch Phone 031 380 60 00 [email protected]


SME ONLINE

38 www.ech.ch

E-Government-Standards

The private economy could save time and money by exchangingdata with the government online. eCH develops and approves the necessary standards and best practices for an e-Government without media breaks.

ProcessApproachStandardisation efforts focus on optimised business processes in the public sector.

SavingCostsBusinesses and the government could save time and money by, for example, communicating value added tax or wage data online.

DeclarationofCommitmenteCH standards have the status of recommendations. They must be declared mandatory by the relevant organisation.

SME ONLINE

39

Further details available from:eCH associationPhone 031 560 00 [email protected]


SME ONLINE

40 www.ctistartup.ch|www.venturelab.ch

ResearchersToday,EntrepreneursTomorrow

CTI Start-up assists the formation and build - up of new enter-prises. Professional coaching helps you with the conversion of your knowledge into innovative products and their marketing.

SME ONLINE

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SupportingYouonYourPathtoSuccessCTI Start-up helps in the difficult starting phase: Your busi-ness - ideas are checked for feasibility and market potential. Then we will help you in developing a business - plan, a business - model and a strategy. Our coaches stay at your service until your business is developing well.

TheRightPartnersareIndispensableCTI Start-up focuses on excellent partnerships. Start-ups receive the best support and can be perfectly prepared for their venture - financing – thanks to the co-operation with venturelab, investors, technoparks, transferring places etc.

TrainingforStudentsventurelab is a national education and training programme in entrepreneurship. In close co - operation with ETH, universities and universities of applied sciences, it organises educational modules to support innovative junior enterprises and to make entrepreneurship attractive for students.



SME ONLINE

Editor

eGov SME / www.sme.admin.ch

GraphicDesign/Produktion

ps type / Mediengestaltung, Basle

Print/Finish

Kreis Druck AG, Basle

Co-operation

L. Belle eVanti, P. Frey, DEA, B. Furrer FTA,

C. Gantenbein Osec Business Network Switzerland,

G. Gass Euresearch, J. Heldt GS1 Switzerland,

B. Hofmann OFCOM, U. Keller FSIO, H. Knittlmayer SERV / IRG,

G. Lang SIPPO, A. Merk CTI / Biotech / Medtech / CTI Start-up,

D. Probst-Sallis SOFI, W. Stüdeli eCH, L. Tabin SECO,

M. Tanner SECO, D. von Burg SFSO, Ch. Weber SECO,

R. Wisler FOJ / FCRO, N. Wyss IGE, J. Zimmermann SFSO,

C. Zwygart SECO

Availableat

SECO, eGov SME

This manual can be ordered free of charge through the following

link or downloaded electronically at:

www.kmu.admin.ch > Dokumentation > Publikationen

3rd editionSAP 860170363

WitheVanti.chtheSwissFederationpromotes

transparencyandexchangeineGovernmentinfederal

Switzerland.

eVanti.ch has the aim to increase the number of eGovern-

ment - solutions in Switzerland in a short time and at low

cost – so that Switzerland can profit from all the advantages

of eGovernment as fast as possible. More productive and

qualitatively better services promote the competitive position of

Switzerland, because they help enterprises and authorities

to reduce their administration costs.

eVanti.ch–CHpoweredbyeGovernment

www.evanti.ch

FederalStrategyUnitforIT(FSUIT)

www.isb.admin.ch

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