The association's purpose and tasks are to: contribute to the defense and development of the Swiss watch industry; establish a permanent link between its members to promote their common interests; represent the Swiss watch industry as a whole to Swiss, foreign and international authorities and economic organizations; assert the interests of its members in consultation procedures in Switzerland and abroad aimed at developing national and foreign legislation, and in international negotiations; carry out the tasks and mandates entrusted to it by its statutory bodies, its members or the members of member associations grouped for the defense of specific interests; carry out the tasks and mandates entrusted to it by the public authorities; defend the interests of its members in court; actively combat infringements of intellectual property rights and acts of unfair competition, in particular slavish imitations; take useful and justified steps in the interests of its members to protect Swiss geographical indications, and in particular, after a decision by its statutory bodies, register certification marks in countries where this is necessary to achieve this goal.