66

"After having described the particularity and the different forms of legal status, powers and financial resources of the Independent Regulatory Authorities in Switzerland, this article examines their dual level of responsibility towards political bodies: the Federal Council (Government of the Confederation), in particular with regard to the fulfilment of their strategic objectives; the Federal Assembly (parliament of the Confederation), which supervise them, indirectly, through the reports it receive from the Federal Council and, directly, especially by establishing parliamentary enquiry commissions. This dual system allows for some political control, in particular in situations in which decisions with high political importance have to be taken."