Federal Council wants to make administration more digitally fit for the next crisis
The national government wants to improve the federal government's digital policy for times of crisis such as a pandemic. The Federal Council adapted its "Digital Switzerland" strategy on Friday.
Digital applications played a major role in ensuring that Switzerland "continued to function" during the Covid 19 pandemic, the Federal Council announced. At the same time, weaknesses in digitization have come to light. For example, problems in the collection of data on the coronavirus have become known. Doctors and hospitals reported this partly by fax. Manual transmission increased the risk of errors and misunderstandings.
To ensure that Switzerland is better equipped to deal with comparable situations in the future, the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) and the Federal Chancellery (FC) are to propose measures in a report by the end of 2021.
Other new focal points in digitization over the next two years are to be environmental and data aspects. By the end of 2021, the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) wants to show how the basis for calculating life cycle assessments, energy consumption and footprints can be improved in the area of information and communications technology.
"Mister Digitization"
The Federal Council also wants to create trusted data spaces for the use of data beyond its original purpose. Switzerland should promote access for individuals, companies and the public sector. The government requires a baseline report from the Federal Office of Communications (Bakom) and the Directorate of International Law in the Department of Foreign Affairs by the end of 2021.
The government also wants to pay particular attention to the digital economy, especially the sharing economy, digital finance, research and development, trade relations and competition policy. The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs will update a report on the framework conditions by the end of 2022.
The "Digital Switzerland" strategy, which is binding for the administration, provides guidelines for digitization. In June, the Federal Council elected Daniel Markwalder, 45, from Aargau, as the new delegate for digital transformation. From the beginning of 2021, the "Mister Digitalization" is to head a competence center for questions relating to the topic. (SDA)
