Audit of the benefits of centralised risk analysis and analytics
Bern, 09.11.2026 — Over 2 million people and more than 1 million vehicles cross the Swiss border every day. As it is not possible to monitor all movements with the resources available, the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS) carries out customs and border checks using a risk-based approach. Risk analysis helps the FOCBS to carry out the limited number of checks in a targeted and efficient manner. Since 2019, it has been centralised within the newly created Risk Analysis and Analytics Directorate (RAA DT) in Bern. This directorate will be disbanded on 1 May 2026, and the individual organisational units will be transferred to other directorates according to their functions.
The Swiss Federal Audit Office (SFAO) examined whether the risk analysis is effective and supports the FOCBS’s self-imposed objective of becoming a data-driven agency. It concluded that the risk analyses continue to rely too heavily on individual experts' knowledge and not enough on data. The FOCBS should use the forthcoming reorganisation to systematically address shortcomings in impact measurement, organisational structure and role distribution.