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The revised DP scheme has seven categories, which are linked to the achievement of specific policy objectives and the provision of public goods: payments for ensuring food supplies (i.e. food-security payments); bio-diversity payments; farmland payments; payments for landscape quality; payments for environment/animal -friendly production systems; resource-efficiency payments; and transitional payments.

On 1 July 2012, the Federal Council enacted the amendment to the law on energy (Article 8) adopted by the Federal Assembly on 23 December 2011. By means of this amendment, the Federal Assembly decided to modify the order of priority of possible measures. The Federal Council now has the possibility of directly issuing orders on energy consumption by facilities, equipment and vehicles, without having to wait for the measures taken freely by the economy to take effect, as had previously occurred in most cases. In doing so, it will be guided by profitability and the best available technology (best equipment) and will take into account international standards and recommendations by recognized specialized institutions. The Federal Council may also in due time adapt Swiss requirements to new international consumption standards, notably those of the EU. If it finds it appropriate, the Federal Council may nevertheless continue to rely in the first place on voluntary agreements with economic sectors.

In early 2010, the Federal Office of Energy , together with various internal and external groups, undertook an analysis of the legal bases with a view to revising the law on electricity supply (LApEl). In March 2011, this analysis was deferred in view of the urgent need to develop a new energy strategy for 2050 following the tragic events in Japan. Work on revising the LApEl resumed in 2012, in tandem with the establishment of the 2050 energy strategy.

The Swiss Government has recently proposed a major change of direction of energy policy ( Energy Strategy 2050) with supply security to be achieved without nuclear energy in the medium-term.

The Federal Government has recently proposed a major change of direction of Swiss energy policy (Energy Strategy 2050). The security of supply is to be achieved without nuclear energy in the medium-term. Switzerland's five nuclear power plants will not be replaced at the end of their operational lifetime. To accommodate the growing electricity demand and fill the gap arising from the planned nuclear phase-out, the new strategy establishes the following priorities: (i) conservation and increased efficiency; (ii) increased generating capacity based mainly on renewable energy but also fossil fuels

With the introduction of remuneration at cost for input into the grid (feed-in tariffs), one of the goals of Switzerland's energy policy is to increase the proportion of electricity produced from renewable energy by 5.4 TWh by 2030, a 10% increase over electricity consumption of 54 TWh in 2002. Under the EnergyStrategy 2050, which is currently subject public consultation, about 22 TWh of additional renewableelectricity are to be generated by 2050, in order to replace the existing nuclear power plants. Currently, less than 1 TWh is generated under the feed-in tariff system.

 The key support instrument for the generation of renewable energy is the "cost-reflective feed-in tariff", i.e. a guaranteed electricity tariff that includes a subsidy to cover the difference between the "cost-recovering remuneration" and the market price. 

 Hydropower (up to 10 MW), photovoltaic (PV), wind, geothermal, biomass , andwaste projects are eligible for the feed-in tariff. The feed-in tariffs vary by technology, output volume (based on reference facilities) and start of operation.

As of 2005, independent power producers (IPPs) may sell electricity to any customer. The first IPPs started to enter the market in 2011. There are a number of small-scale hydro-electric power producers besides LKW and the contribution of independent solar power producers has been increasing. According to the Government's Energy Strategy 2020, adopted in 2012, the objective is to increase the share ofrenewable energies from 8.2% in 2008 to 20% by 2020, through subsidies for improved insulation, sun-collectors, and tighter energy standards in construction.

Fuels are subject to consumption tax (VAT, mineral oil tax) and combustibles to the CO2 tax (Chapter 3.1.4). In order to reduce CO2 emissions , biofuels (e.g. bio -ethanol, bio -diesel, etc.) are partially or fully exempt from the mineral oil tax (since July 2008) if they comply with certain ecological and social criteria.