The Federal Archives: the federal government’s information service provider The Federal Archives, in their capacity as an information service provider, preserve the records of Parliament, the Federal Council and the Federal Administration, and provide assistance to researchers. To enable the decisions of the federal government to be scrutinised by future generations, the Federal Archives advise administrative offices on documenting their ongoing business and work with them to ensure that only relevant records enter the archives. Archiving plays an essential role for both the general public and research, allowing the formation of independent, critical opinions in a democratic state governed by the rule of law. Research in the Federal Archives can be carried out online or on site.