La protection sociale en Suisse: évolution depuis 1990 sous l'angle d'un nouvel outil d'analyse statistique

This article presents the solutions brought by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (SFSO) by establishing the Social Protection Accounts as well as the main results obtained thanks to this new tool for statistical analysis. The Social Accounts, namely the synthesis of the statistical data referring to the expenditure and receipts of social protection, are established according to a methodology developed by the Statistical Office of the European Communities (Eurostat). The results obtained for Switzerland are thus comparable with those of the European Union (EU) and of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries. Expressed in terms of Purchasing Power Standards, the per capita social protection expenditures of Switzerland are classified today in the head group of those of the States of the EU and EFTA. At the same time, Switzerland has the highest per capita GDP among european countries. It follows that the social expenditures compared to the GDP, approach only the european average.