swisstopo manages the Institute for Military Geography on behalf of the department of defenceand is official representative of Switzerland abroad. In this function swisstopo is authorised to conduct bilateral negotiations with corresponding partner organisations and to sign ensuing agreements.
The Institute for Military Geography is single point of contact (SPOC) for domestic and international issues. It coordinates and steers the activities of Switzerland pertaining to military geography in Switzerland and abroad.
Art 28 of the photogrammetric survey ordinance of 21 May 2008 (LVV) provides the legal basis for this.