Abgrenzungsverträge

Abgrenzungsverträge are contractual instruments used to clearly delineate the boundaries of competences, tasks, assets and liabilities between two or more legal subjects, typically public authorities such as municipalities, districts or cantons. Their purpose is to prevent functional overlaps and gaps in administration and to establish a stable basis for planning, budgeting and service delivery.

They are most common in public-law contexts, for example when municipalities reorganize, form administrative partnerships, or determine service areas for tasks like road maintenance, waste management, water supply, or schooling. They can also be applied in private-law relationships between neighboring landowners to fix the exact boundary of land parcels or to regulate easements and other rights.

A typical Abgrenzungsvertrag includes a precise boundary description (maps, coordinates, parcel references), the allocation of assets and liabilities, and the distribution of costs for shared services. It also covers transitional arrangements, governance rules for the use of shared facilities, dispute resolution mechanisms, and clauses on duration, modification, and termination. In many cases, the contract specifies applicable law and requires registration or official notification to secure enforceability.

Effect and procedure: such contracts are negotiated by the involved authorities or parties and often require approval from higher administrative levels. Once signed, they bind the parties and guide future administration and financial handling. Abgrenzungsverträge thus play a central role in territorial planning, inter-municipal cooperation, and the orderly allocation of public resources.