The Annex to the National Bank Ordinance (NBO) lists the key elements of each survey. Amendments are planned for the current account survey (CAS) and the surveys on cross-border capital linkages (INV).

Why is the Annex to the NBO being amended?

The Annex to the National Bank Ordinance (NBO) lists the key elements of each survey including name, coverage, reporting institutions, frequency and submission deadline (cf. art. 5 NBO).

Due to new and revised statistical surveys as well as the need for periodic adjustments, the Annex to the NBO is to be amended this year.

The texts for the surveys on balance of payments statistics will be harmonised, simplified and clarified. This concerns, in particular, the wordings regarding coverage and the definition of the reporting obligation (reporting threshold). The amendments are also aimed at ensuring that the texts more precisely cover the content of the current account survey, which was revised in 2023, and the revised survey on cross-border capital linkages planned for 2027.

What amendments are to be made to the current account survey?

The listed coverage items are to be revised to more precisely reflect the CAS survey introduced in 2023, and items not required will be deleted. For example, the survey breakdown is already clear as it is based on the foreign/international guidelines and requirements mentioned in the provision.

The definition of the reporting obligation is to be simplified and made more specific.

Full text with amendments:

What amendments are to be made to the surveys on cross-border capital linkages?

The listed coverage items are to be revised to more precisely reflect the revision of the survey planned for 2027, and items not required will be deleted. For example, the survey breakdown is already clear as it is based on the foreign/international guidelines and requirements mentioned in the provision.

The definition of the reporting obligation is to be simplified and made more specific.

Full text with amendments:

What will these amendments mean for the reporting institutions?

For the reporting institutions, there will be no changes as a result of the amendments. In the case of the present partial sample surveys, the actual reporting obligation does not come into effect automatically when a survey is added to the NBO or is amended, but rather only when the SNB issues a request to participate in the survey on the basis of the NBO.

Provisional timetable

The process to amend the NBO Annex will be initiated in April 2026. Experience has shown that implementation takes three to four months. The SNB expects the revised ordinance to enter into force in August 2026.

Contact

If you have any feedback, please contact the Multinational Enterprises team by 31 May 2026.