I don't think the "authorization" is as full on as it sounds. Perhaps the translation from German makes it sound severe. Asking for "permission" also sounds like it needs to be "formally approved".
In practice, I think it more like, "describe in a few sentences for the commercial register what your business will do, and if that sounds reasonable, clear, above board and not weird in any obvious way, the answer is yes."
Of course, in Switzerland, even things like grilling Bratwurst at an existing cafe requires a very special license and 1-2 year waiting period ( I shit you not), so perhaps for activities requiring a license it might be a very different matter, accepted.
Some activities are highly regulated, like labour hire, recruitment firms, and payroll.
My wife simply set herself as an independent consultant, trainer and coach. Nothing complex.
If any one has any other specific experience of this, I'd be interested.
And the procedure
was followed fully, whatever it is, otherwise she wouldn't have been able to register it with the commercial registry and get a company and MWSt number...
Because of some of the inane requirements, it is easy for myths abound about how hard things are in Switzerland (and some outdated requirements no longer exist - like once upon a time, you could not use a bank statement as proof of capital, you had to bring 20,000 set-up-cash to the registry office, and count it out in front of them, that is no longer true).
Setting up a business here is not hard, it better than most of Europe, and some Kantons, like Zug, even specialise in making it easy.