IT Law in The 2026 Summer Session

Bild vom 23 März 2023 © Parlamentsdienste / Rob Lewis, Link: https://www.media-parl.ch/picture.php?/8729/category/277.

During the 2026 summer session, the parliament will debate a wide range of IT-related legislative matters: from the development of digital investigative methods and the regulation of platforms, through the implementation of digital sovereignty and the strengthening of cybersecurity, to e-collecting, digital ID cards, and health and mobility data. The focus will therefore be on key decisions regarding data protection, digital infrastructure, fundamental rights and government digitalisation.

IT legal issues in the National Council:

Motion: «Small consignments. For greater product safety and against unfair competition at the expense of Swiss SMEs»: The motion calls for increased controls on small consignments from Asia in order to increase product safety and eliminate distortions of competition at the expense of Swiss SMEs. The Federal Council is to be tasked with ensuring that imported products meet Swiss minimum requirements in terms of safety, quality, and conformity. It should also propose solutions for financing the additional controls through a small levy on such shipments and for integrating them into customs procedures. The motion is justified by a sharp increase in the number of small consignments, particularly from China, which are often shipped at preferential rates and are inadequately controlled. In some cases, shipments are not declared or are incorrectly declared, or contain counterfeit goods. This creates risks for consumers and unequal competitive conditions, as Swiss companies are subject to strict regulatory requirements and higher logistics costs. Increased import controls are intended to create fair market conditions without disproportionately affecting trade. The motion was adopted by the Council of States during the winter session and will be considered by the National Council in the upcoming summer session
Motion: «Foreign online trading platforms. Creating transparency about products banned in Switzerland»: The motion calls for foreign online trading platforms such as Temu and Shein to be required to clearly label products on their Swiss consumer-facing product pages that would not be permitted for sale in Switzerland due to product safety, trademark, or environmental protection regulations. The aim is to create transparency, protect consumers from non-compliant products, and reduce distortions of competition to the detriment of Swiss suppliers who comply with the rules. The motion is justified by the growing market significance of foreign platforms and the difficulty of enforcing compliance with Swiss regulations in cross-border online trade. In its statement, the Federal Council points out that offering products online is already considered placing them on the market and is subject to the applicable product safety regulations. However, labelling non-compliant products would contradict the principle that only lawful products may be placed on the market. Instead, the Federal Council intends to improve enforcement against foreign platforms as part of ongoing revisions to product safety and trade barrier legislation, and is proposing that the motion be rejected. The motion was adopted by the Council of States during the winter session and will be considered by the National Council in the upcoming summer session.
Federal Council business «Financial Market Supervision Act and other legislation. Amendment with regard to cooperation with foreign authorities»: The Federal Council has adopted the dispatch on the amendment to the Financial Market Supervision Act (FINMASA) and other legislation. The aim is to modernise the legal framework for international cooperation in the financial sector in order to meet the requirements of cross-border financial business. The amendments are intended to strengthen the integrity, transparency and stability of the markets and promote the competitiveness and international networking of the Swiss financial centre. The following amendments in particular are planned for FINMASA: a restriction of the client procedure in FINMA administrative assistance proceedings in cases of market abuse, new provisions on international cooperation in audit and recognition procedures, on the cross-border service of documents and on the direct transmission of information by supervised companies. In addition, the regulations on cross-border audits are to be expanded. The Audit Oversight Act (AOA) and the National Bank Act (NBA) also create a legal basis for remote audits and the involvement of the SNB. The majority of responses to the consultation were positive, prompting the Federal Council to make a number of clarifications to increase legal certainty. The Council of States had approved the motion with an amendment to Article 42c. However, the Economic Affairs and Taxation Committee (EATC) of the National Council rejects this amendment to Article 42c, as it would remove the requirement to verify confidentiality and specificity. During the last winter session, it was therefore decided to propose a compromise designed both to reduce the administrative burden on institutions and to ensure customer protection to the greatest extent possible. This compromise will be negotiated in the National Council during the upcoming summer session.
Motion: «FINMA. Parliamentary consultation mechanism»: The motion calls for the Parliament, or the relevant committees, to be consulted when FINMA ordinances and circulars are enacted or amended. The rationale is that FINMA’s regulations exert a significant influence on the financial sector without there being a parliamentary consultation mechanism in place. In the motion’s view, this would enable questions regarding the legal basis of FINMA regulations to be clarified at an early stage and would strengthen the separation of powers. It is also pointed out that, in addition to ordinances and circulars, other FINMA documents such as supervisory notices or guidelines can, in practice, have binding effect. The Federal Council rejects the motion. It points out that FINMA is already bound by overarching financial market legislation and that existing statutory and judicial control mechanisms ensure compliance with the principle of legality. Furthermore, Parliament already exercises overall supervision over FINMA. In the Federal Council’s view, the proposed consultation mechanism would constitute a novel invasion on FINMA’s independence, could delay regulatory processes and would be at odds with the authority’s statutory autonomy. The Federal Council therefore recommends rejecting the motion. As FINMA defines regulations on the handling of data and IT resources, for example through circulars on operational risks and resilience as well as the outsourcing circular, a consultation mechanism would also have an impact on IT and data issues.
Motion: «Security rather than political political correctness»: The motion calls for federal, cantonal and municipal police forces to be permitted to collect and publish all relevant data without restriction when conducting searches for individuals. This should include, in particular, comprehensive offender profiles containing physical characteristics such as skin colour, eye and hair colour, tattoos, language, accent or other distinguishing features. If necessary, the legal framework should be amended. The motion is justified by the view that detailed descriptions of individuals are essential for successful manhunts and the fight against crime. In particular, it criticises fedpol’s decision to no longer include a separate category for skin colour in the national RIPOL search system from September 2025 onwards. The Federal Council rejects the motion. It explains that the existing categories for skin colour have rarely been used in practice and are sometimes considered imprecise or unsuitable. At the same time, it points out that other categories for describing origin, as well as free-text fields for additional information, including skin colour, can still be used. The aim of the change in practice is not to restrict searches, but to ensure more precise and appropriate data collection. Furthermore, a consultation with the cantons revealed that whilst optional recording of skin colour should be retained, the existing categories need to be revised. Fedpol therefore intends to work with the cantons to ensure a modernised categorisation within RIPOL. The Federal Council proposes that the motion be rejected.
– Postulate: «Revision of the Code of Criminal Procedure with regard to digital investigation methods, particularly in relation to artificial intelligence»: The postulate calls on the Federal Council to analyse the Code of Criminal Procedure (CCP) to assess its suitability for the demands of digitalisation. A report is to examine, in particular, possible legislative amendments. The focus is on issues relating to automated investigative procedures such as AI-supported facial recognition, pattern and cluster analysis, and real-time open-source intelligence. Furthermore, the report is to examine whether the existing rules on the collection, sealing and use of evidence still meet the requirements of digital data, and how the handling of digital and cloud-based evidence should be structured. In doing so, both the efficiency of criminal prosecution and the protection of fundamental and personal rights are to be taken into account. Furthermore, the postulate calls for statements on transparency, documentation and deletion obligations when using automated procedures, as well as on the admissibility of AI-supported triage procedures without an explicit legal basis. The motion is justified by the increasing importance of digital evidence and AI-based analytical tools in criminal prosecution. The existing Code of Criminal Procedure was drafted at a time when physical evidence and locally based investigations were the primary focus. Digitalisation and transnational data processing have created new challenges, particularly with regard to authenticity, susceptibility to manipulation and guarantees under the rule of law. The report is also intended to take into account the Federal Council’s ongoing work on electronic evidence both domestically and abroad.
Federal Council business: «Federal Act on the Intelligence Service (Intelligence Service Act, ISA). Amendment»: The Intelligence Service Act (IntelSA) is to be amended in the following three respects: Firstly, the Federal Intelligence Service’s (FIS) capacity for the early detection and prevention of threats is to be expanded. In future, the FIS is to be permitted to use the same authorisation-requiring intelligence-gathering measures (GEBM) in the event of serious threats from violent extremism as it does today, for example, in the case of terrorism, and it is also to be able to collect data from financial intermediaries in such situations. The FIS’s remit is also to be extended to the entire cyberspace. Secondly, wiretapping provisions are to be clarified and independent oversight of the FIS – particularly regarding radio and wiretapping – is to be strengthened. Thirdly, the FIS’s data processing is to be regulated in a technology-neutral and comprehensive manner and brought into line with the Data Protection Act. A new legal remedy is to be introduced, entitling the person requesting information to have the data processing concerning them and the postponement of the provision of information based on the Intelligence Service Act reviewed by the Federal Administrative Court. The background to this is the heightened threat situation, as assessed by the Federal Council, primarily due to terrorism, violent extremism, espionage, cyber attacks, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and attacks on critical infrastructure. The Control Delegation (CD) welcomes the revision in principle, but calls for clarifications, particularly regarding procurement measures subject to authorisation. Among other things, it takes a critical view of emergency provisions and extended deadlines for the review and deletion of data. It also calls for clearer rules on the division of responsibilities between the supervisory bodies. The National Council’s Security Policy Committee (SPC) supports the bill in principle but calls for a number of amendments to the draft legislation. These include new provisions on influence operations by foreign states, a more precise definition of cyberspace, clearer rules on data collection from financial intermediaries, and more specific supervisory powers. In addition, the committee calls for stricter requirements regarding the deletion of data in cases where emergency measures have been rejected. The SPC of the National Council has concluded its detailed deliberations and recommends that the Council approve the bill. The matter is currently before the National Council.
Federal Council business: «Federal Act on Political Rights. Amendment»: The revision of the Federal Act on Political Rights (PRA) comprises various specific amendments relating to the conduct of elections and referendums, as well as the modernisation of democratic procedures. The Federal Council’s aim is to respond to new requirements and parliamentary motions. Among other things, the bill provides for a legal basis for trials involving electronic signature collection (e-collecting), new rules on postponing votes, amendments to the rules on election and referendum complaints, and measures to improve participation in federal votes by people with visual impairments. In addition, mandatory plausibility checks are to be introduced for the electronic recording and counting of votes. It is also proposed that, in future, members of initiative committees will only be required to provide their place of residence and year of birth, rather than their full address. The majority of the National Council welcomes the trial introduction of e-collecting and supports the bill in principle. However, it added provisions on political education and the promotion of democracy and removed the Federal Council’s explicit power to postpone or cancel votes. The electronic collection of signatures, however, remained controversial. Unlike the National Council, the Council of States is calling for a geographical restriction on the e-collecting trials, as well as more precise guidelines on the protection of voting secrecy and the prevention of abuse. Differences remain between the two chambers. The matter is currently undergoing conciliation between the National Council and the Council of States.
Federal Council business: «Federal Act on Debt Enforcement and Bankruptcy (Debt enforcement information, electronic service and online auctions). Amendment»: The revision of the Federal Act on Debt Enforcement and Bankruptcy (DEBA) is intended to further digitise the debt enforcement system whilst improving the informative value of extracts from the debt enforcement register. The Federal Council’s aim is to expand existing digital processes, remove legal uncertainties and better protect creditors against abuse. Proposed measures include new rules on the electronic service of documents, a legal basis for online auctions and measures against the misuse of debt enforcement extracts. Electronic documents are to become the standard, and debt enforcement offices are to note whether a person is registered in the population register of the relevant debt enforcement district. Furthermore, the bill provides for clarifications regarding the enforcement of attachments and a limit on cash payments in debt enforcement proceedings. The bill received strong support in the National Council, although it was expanded beyond the Federal Council’s proposals. In particular, the National Council advocated the introduction of a nationwide debt enforcement register. To this end, a central information system is to be created that consolidates data from the cantons and identifies natural persons via their OASI number. This should make it easier to combat abusive practices such as so-called «bankruptcy hopping» and give debt enforcement extracts greater informative value. The Legal Affairs Committee (LAC) of the Council of States supports both the Federal Council’s modernisation proposals and the nationwide debt enforcement information system supplemented by the National Council. In addition, it advocates that the Confederation be able to delegate the operation of the central information system to private bodies. The matter will be discussed in both chambers during the coming session.
Federal Council business: «Federal Act on Health Insurance (ensuring the principle of data collection on a “once-only” basis). Amendment»: The bill to amend the Federal Act on Health Insurance (HIA) aims to enshrine the principle of “once-only” data collection in law. In future, health data from service providers such as hospitals or doctors’ practices is to be collected only once and subsequently used for several purposes provided for by law. The aim is to avoid multiple data collection, reduce the administrative burden and improve the quality, transparency and comparability of the data. It is envisaged that the data will be transmitted centrally to the Federal Statistical Office (FSO). To this end, the existing regulations will be amended and clarified. At the same time, the group of authorised data recipients is to be expanded. The data will remain anonymised. The bill serves in particular to implement the «Inpatient Hospital Care» (SpiGes) project, which provides for a common platform for data collection and use in the inpatient sector. At the same time, the conditions are being created to ensure that outpatient data can also be integrated in future. The National Council’s Social Security and Health Committee (SSHC) has approved the bill and supports the legal basis for implementing the «once-only» principle. It emphasises in particular the importance of data protection, the distinction between aggregated and individual data, and clearly defined access rights. During the detailed deliberations, the committee also proposed a formalised procedure enabling data recipients to request adjustments or additions to the data collection. The bill will be discussed in the National Council during the summer session.
Motion: “We need effective measures against the misuse of Swiss domains!”: The motion calls for a stronger legal framework to combat the misuse of Swiss domains ending in “.ch” and “.swiss”. In future, domains should only be allocated to clearly identified natural or legal persons. Furthermore, technical and administrative blocking by the authorities should no longer be possible only in cases of phishing or malware, but also in other cases of misuse with criminal law implications. The reasoning behind this is that existing registration requirements under the Ordinance on Internet Domains are inadequately enforced in practice, and that registrars who fail to comply face virtually no consequences. The motion therefore calls for specialist bodies such as the Switch Foundation to be involved in the legislative process and for the legal basis to be clarified. The Federal Council recommends the adoption of the motion. The matter is due to be debated by the National Council during the upcoming summer session.
Motion: “eXit. The Federal Assembly should refrain from using the social media platform X”: The motion calls for the Federal Assembly to refrain from using the social media platform X. This is justified by the platform’s development since its takeover by Elon Musk. Specific concerns cited include hate speech, incitement, conspiracy theories, disinformation and problematic content from the AI chatbot Grok. The Federal Assembly’s continued presence on X legitimises the platform and increases the visibility of its content. The Bureau’s statement notes that the Parliamentary Services are responsible for institutional communication and have been using X since 2015 to rapidly disseminate press releases, information on parliamentary diplomacy and responses from the Council Presidencies. X continues to reach a broad audience with an interest in politics; there is currently no comparable alternative. The Bureau acknowledges the challenges mentioned but does not see a unilateral withdrawal as a solution. It therefore supports the provisional continuation of the X account. The Bureau recommends rejecting the motion.

IT legal issues in the Council of States:

Motion: «Introduction of a national monitoring system for radicalisation and extremism in Switzerland»: The motion calls for the establishment of a national, systematic monitoring system for radicalisation and extremism in Switzerland. This should take into account all relevant forms of extremism, identify regional differences, document digital radicalisation pathways such as social media propaganda, and incorporate the experiences of victims. The aim is to generate reliable data in order to identify radicalisation processes at an early stage, target prevention more effectively, better protect vulnerable individuals and strengthen democratic resilience. The motion is justified by experiences from the German MOTRA monitoring programme, which systematically examines radicalisation, politically motivated crime, hate crime and victims’ experiences. With regard to Switzerland, it is noted that although instruments such as the «Prevention of Radicalisation» action plan and cantonal early warning and counselling centres already exist, these do not capture radicalisation processes and forms of extremism with sufficient continuity and comprehensiveness. The motion was tabled in the Council of States and will be debated by it during the upcoming summer session.
Postulate: «Legal assessments and the potential of artificial intelligence in the fields of policing and internal security»: The postulate calls on the Federal Council to produce a report on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the fields of policing, internal security and law enforcement. The aim is to analyse the potential of AI technologies and their legal and constitutional framework, and, building on this, to develop guidelines for their coherent use in accordance with fundamental rights. Switzerland’s digital sovereignty must also be taken into account. In particular, the report is to highlight the areas in which AI can be used to combat crime more efficiently and to strengthen internal security. Examples include the analysis of large volumes of data, support for investigations into complex cases of organised crime, and the reduction of the burden on the authorities through more efficient processes. At the same time, the report is to examine whether the existing legal framework is sufficient or whether there are legal loopholes. Another key focus concerns the constitutional limits on the use of AI, in particular the protection of privacy and the safeguarding of fundamental rights. In addition, the report is to set out how data protection and transparency requirements can be met and how dependencies on external technology providers can be avoided. The background to this is the concern that the use of security-related AI systems could entail risks regarding data access, data sovereignty and loss of control. Given the sensitivity of the security sector and the division of responsibilities between the Confederation and the cantons, a targeted analysis is deemed necessary. The Federal Council proposes that the postulate be adopted.
Federal Council business: «Mobility Data Infrastructure (MODIG)»: The aim of the law is to establish a modern, national mobility data infrastructure (MODI) that enables the standardised exchange and linked use of mobility data across all modes of transport. This data infrastructure should help to make the planning, operation, and use of transport infrastructure and services more efficient on the basis of data, thereby creating a more efficient, networked mobility system. Another key concern is to strengthen Switzerland’s digital sovereignty and promote innovation in the mobility sector through a neutral, open, non-commercial platform operated by the federal government. The core components are the National Data Networking Infrastructure for Mobility (NADIM) and the «CH Transport Network», which ensure the technical and organisational networking of data. The National Council’s Transport and Telecommunications Committee (TTC) generally supports the Federal Council’s draft, but has added a number of clarifications, namely on «efficient mobility», the preservation of competition, the tasks of the Mobility Data Competence Centre and user financing. The TTC of the Council of States takes the view that improving the use and exchange of mobility data is not a federal government task. Such optimisation of the data situation, and in particular the associated costs, should be left to market participants. The matter will be dealt with in the Council of States during the forthcoming summer session.
Motion: «Protection of children and young people on digital platforms»: The motion calls for legislative measures to protect children and young people from systemic risks posed by large digital communication platforms, search engines and generative AI applications. Providers should be required to regularly assess whether their products exacerbate societal risks for minors, for example through illegal or harmful content or negative effects on children and young people. On this basis, targeted measures to minimise risks are to be implemented. Furthermore, personalised advertising aimed at minors and recommendation systems based on profiling and the maximisation of interaction or attention are to be banned. The motion is justified on the grounds that the focus is not on access to platforms or mobile phones, but on harmful product mechanisms. Algorithms used by large platforms could encourage addictive behaviour and filter bubbles. AI image and video generators, chatbots and AI companions are also cited as relevant risks. The motion was tabled in the Council of States.
Motion: «Equal treatment of online platforms regarding take-back and disposal obligations under the VREG»: The motion calls for an amendment to the Ordinance on the Return, Taking Back and Disposal of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (ORDEE) to ensure that online platforms are more fully included in take-back and disposal obligations. In future, online platforms are to be regarded as manufacturers or dealers if they make products available on the Swiss market. To this end, it is proposed to broaden the definition of dealers and to introduce a new legal definition of the term «making available on the market». This is intended to cover activities such as the design of product presentations, price information, delivery conditions or payment terms. The aim of the motion is to create a level playing field between domestic providers and foreign online sales platforms. In its statement, the Federal Council points out that the Environmental Protection Act already distinguishes between operators of electronic platforms and foreign online mail-order companies. Whilst platform operators are subject to a duty to provide information, foreign mail-order companies can already be treated as distributors. The Federal Council also refers to ongoing work to flesh out these regulations at the ordinance level. As the proposed amendments are not compatible with the current Environmental Protection Act, a legislative amendment would first be required. The Federal Council recommends rejecting the motion.
Motion «digitisation of driver IDs»:This motion instructs the Federal Council to amend the legal basis so that driver IDs and vehicle registration documents will also be recognised in digital form in future. The aim is to allow electronic documents to be treated as equivalent to physical documents and to remove the obligation to carry paper documents. The motion criticises the current «paper requirement» as outdated and calls for modernisation in line with the federal government’s ongoing digitalisation strategy. Digital driving licences and vehicle registration documents should be able to be presented electronically during traffic checks, for example via a state-approved app or a secure digital wallet. The digitisation of these IDs is intended to simplify processes for citizens and authorities, reduce administrative costs and improve the integration of e-government services. The bill is part of efforts to gradually digitise state identity and authorisation documents, as is already planned for the new e-ID.
– Motion: «Introduction of a comprehensive nationwide debt enforcement register extract»: The motion calls for the creation of a legal framework for a comprehensive nationwide debt enforcement register extract. Debt enforcement data relating to a natural person should be automatically transferred to the new responsible debt enforcement office when the person changes their registered place of residence. If the registered place of residence and the actual place of residence or place of debt enforcement differ, the relevant data should also be transferred. The aim is to close gaps in debt enforcement register extracts and prevent abuse through so-called «clean» register extracts following a change of residence. The motion is justified on the grounds that a move can currently result in previous debt enforcement proceedings not being visible at the new location. This could mislead contractual partners regarding the actual creditworthiness and lead to incorrect decisions. In its statement, the Federal Council refers to earlier studies indicating that a comprehensive, nationwide debt enforcement information system cannot be implemented at a reasonable cost. Instead, it refers to measures already adopted, under which debt enforcement offices are to disclose information on the duration of a person’s registration in the relevant debt enforcement district. The Federal Council regards this as a more practicable solution and expects the motion’s proposal to yield no additional benefit, but rather to entail considerable additional administrative effort. It also refers to planned foundations for a national address service. The Federal Council recommends rejecting the motion.
Motion: «Initiative to strengthen Switzerland’s digital sovereignty»: The motion calls for the development and implementation of an initiative to strengthen Switzerland’s digital sovereignty. The state, industry and academia are to pool their existing expertise and implement innovative pilot projects in areas such as digital infrastructure, open-source technologies, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. The programme is intended to promote innovation, strengthen cooperation and secure Switzerland’s digital capabilities and long-term competitiveness through targeted start-up funding and, where appropriate, through competitions. The motion is justified by the increasing importance of digital sovereignty for the state’s and the economy’s ability to act. Dependence on foreign technology providers could entail risks for critical infrastructure, data sovereignty and economic competitiveness. At the same time, it is pointed out that Switzerland already possesses strong expertise in science, business and administration, which should be more closely networked and utilised in a targeted manner. In the field of artificial intelligence in particular, high-performance infrastructure and practical pilot projects are necessary to exploit innovation potential and ensure long-term security, independence and economic strength. The motion was tabled in the Council of States and will be debated there during the upcoming summer session.
Postulate: «Online accommodation rental platforms (Airbnb model). A security loophole in the national system?» The postulate calls for a report on compliance with the registration requirement for foreign guests staying in accommodation booked via online rental platforms based on the Airbnb model. The Federal Council is to examine how this registration requirement is implemented across the entire country and, from a national security perspective, propose improvements to controls and sanctions. The postulate is justified on the grounds that the registration requirement for foreign guests applies not only to hotels but also to private individuals who occasionally accommodate guests for a fee. Due to the sharp rise in online rentals, an increasing number of foreign guests are staying in private accommodation rather than in the professional hotel sector. This complicates state controls and could create security gaps. Risks associated with organised crime, terrorism and the tracking of persons subject to criminal proceedings are specifically mentioned.
Interpellation: «Supporting the digitalisation of museums»: The interpellation addresses the digital transformation of Swiss museums and its impact on collection cataloguing, provenance research, cultural education, accessibility and long-term archiving. It notes that digitisation and artificial intelligence offer significant opportunities, for example through automated image recognition, multilingual educational programmes or AI-supported pattern recognition in historical documents. At the same time, major challenges remain, as many collection items have not yet been digitally catalogued and there is a lack of financial resources, staff and technical expertise. The Federal Council is requested to assess the state of digitisation in Swiss museums and to provide details on the level of digitisation and the funding requirements for the period 2029–2032. It is also asked to comment on additional funding for AI infrastructure, pilot projects, ethical guidelines and further training. Further questions concern digital sovereignty, national infrastructures for the long-term archiving of digital cultural heritage, and a coordination platform for museums, libraries and archives.
Federal Council business: «Therapeutic Products Act (Revision 3a). Amendment»: With this bill, the Federal Council is submitting a revision of the Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) to Parliament, which is intended in particular to strengthen digitalisation in the treatment process and increase medication safety. The core of the revision is the mandatory introduction of electronic prescriptions and electronic medication plans. In future, prescriptions are to be issued and redeemed electronically in order to reduce misinterpretations, forgeries, and abusive multiple redemptions. Patients are also to receive an electronic medication plan, which can also be stored in the electronic patient record and bundles information on medicines and their use. Healthcare professionals will be required to create this plan electronically and update it on an ongoing basis; a paper printout will still be available on request. In addition, the use of electronic systems to support decision-making in dosage calculation will initially be mandatory for hospitals in pediatrics. The National Council approved Revision 3a of the Therapeutic Products Act during the last spring session. The Health Care Committee (HCC) of the Council of States agrees with the Federal Council’s proposals on the digitisation of the medication process and also demands that the federal government continue to fund the SwissPedDose database. The matter will be before the Council of States during the upcoming summer session.
– Motion: «Strengthening cybersecurity, reducing bureaucracy. Harmonisation of reporting channels for Digital Switzerland»: The motion calls for the harmonisation of reporting obligations and procedures in the field of cybersecurity. Businesses, particularly SMEs, should be able to report security incidents relating to digital products and services via simple, digital and coordinated procedures. The plan is to establish a uniform procedure, eliminate duplication and additional reporting channels, and introduce harmonised forms, deadlines and criteria that are aligned with the Information Security Act and the Data Protection Act. The motion is justified by the current lack of uniformity in reporting obligations to various authorities and contact points. New requirements on the cyber resilience of digital products could further exacerbate this fragmentation and increase the administrative burden. The motion therefore calls for a «single entry point», greater legal certainty and a reduction in multiple reporting to strengthen Switzerland as a business location. The Federal Council recommends the adoption of the motion.
Interpellation «Embedding digital sovereignty in the strategic objectives of state-owned enterprises»: The interpellation addresses the embedding of digital sovereignty in the strategic objectives of state-owned enterprises such as Swiss Post, Swisscom, Skyguide and RUAG. This is justified by their central role in the operation of critical infrastructure and the growing importance of cybersecurity, technological independence and resilience to digital risks and dependencies. The Federal Council is asked whether digital sovereignty should be explicitly included in the strategic objectives, whether open-source technologies should be promoted, technological dependencies reduced, and innovation and research activities in key technologies strengthened. In addition, the interpellation also asks how the Federal Council ensures that state-owned enterprises systematically align their activities with strengthening cybersecurity and the resilience of critical infrastructure. In its response, the Federal Council notes that aspects of digital sovereignty are already partially taken into account in strategic objectives, for example in risk management. It also refers to the ongoing work of an interdepartmental working group on digital sovereignty. State-owned enterprises are already making a significant contribution to the security and resilience of critical infrastructure. No additional requirements regarding open-source technologies or the selection of specific IT tools are currently planned; such operational decisions are, in principle, the responsibility of the companies. Nor are there any plans to expand the scope of statutory responsibilities. State-owned enterprises are not used to promote research and innovation; this is the remit of the Swiss National Science Foundation, Innosuisse and the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences.
Federal Council business: Federal Act on Copyright and Related Rights (URG). Amendment (ancillary copyright for media companies): The aim of the amendment is to require large online services to pay traditional media companies for the use of short excerpts (known as snippets) from journalistic content. This is intended to counteract the decline in revenue caused by digital platforms and search engines, which often use this content without direct compensation. The obligation to pay remuneration would apply to online services with an average reach of at least 10% of the Swiss population per year, and the rights would be enforceable collectively through collecting societies. The National Council and the agrees with the amendment but would like to refer the matter back to the Federal Council with the request to also hold artificial intelligence providers accountable and to incorporate the concerns of the Gössi motion “Better protection of intellectual property against AI abuse.” The Committee on Science, Education and Culture (SECC) of the Council of advises the Council of States to follow the National Council’s proposal. The Council of States will decide on a possible referral back during the upcoming summer session.
Federal Council business: «Commitment credit for the digital transformation of the Central Compensation Office for the years 2026–2032»: The Federal Council is requesting a commitment credit of CHF 66.1 million for the years 2026–2032 for the digital transformation of the Central Compensation Office (CCO). The aim is to modernise the organisation and IT systems, in particular those of the Swiss Compensation Office (SCO) and the DI Office for people living abroad (OAIE). The plan is to replace the existing IT infrastructure with a uniform, modular solution featuring automated data transfer, enhanced process automation and standardised interfaces for secure data exchange with cantons, institutions and international partners. This should increase efficiency and service quality and reduce processing times. The programme is a response to rising case numbers due to population growth and increasing international mobility. It is aligned with the digitalisation strategy of the Federal Government and the Federal Social Insurance Office. At the same time, the message on the Federal Act on Information Systems in Social Insurance (BISS) was adopted, which provides for an electronic platform for the first pillar. The Finance Committee (FC) of the National Council welcomes the direction taken and unanimously recommends that the National Council approve the loan. Among other things, the risks of bidder dependency and questions regarding the open source strategy were discussed. Now that the National Council has approved the draft, the FC of the Council of States recommends that the latter follow suit. The matter will be dealt with in the Council of States during the summer session.
Motion: “TWINT should become a public and free e-payment service for private individuals and businesses”: The motion calls for the real-time payment system TWINT to be developed as a public service that is, in principle, free of charge for private individuals and businesses. In the same way as the provision of cash, electronic payment transactions should be regarded as public infrastructure. Exceptions to the free-of-charge principle could be provided for large-scale transactions between businesses. The Swiss National Bank (SNB) is named as a potential operator of such a solution. The motion is justified by the increasing shift of payment transactions towards electronic means of payment. Whilst cash transactions are free of charge, electronic payments incur costs that place a particular burden on retailers. Due to its widespread use and strong growth, TWINT has become an important part of the payments system and meets a social and economic need. The motion also refers to international models in which electronic payment systems are subject to greater public regulation or are operated by public bodies. The Brazilian payment system PIX is cited as an example, where low or no fees are charged. The motion was submitted to the Council of States, which will discuss it during the upcoming summer session.
Parliamentary initiative «Data collection in agriculture. Prevent additional bureaucracy now!» and cantonal initiative «Simplification of the reporting requirements for fertilisers and plant protection products (DigiFLUX)»: Both initiatives pursue the same goal: to simplify the planned reporting requirements under the DigiFLUX platform and to reduce the administrative burden on the agricultural sector, businesses and public authorities. The proposals call for amendments to the Agriculture Act, in particular a restriction of data collection for plant protection products to the reporting of their placing on the market and intended use, rather than a detailed record of actual application. The plan is to differentiate according to sectors such as agriculture, horticulture, forestry or the public sector. In addition, the proposed reporting obligation for certain nutrient supplies, in particular motor fuels, animal feed and mineral fertilizers, is to be abolished. The proposals are justified on the grounds of the high complexity and considerable administrative burden of the planned implementation. According to the proposals, the planned recording down to plot level and the additional documentation would lead to additional costs and duplication of effort without creating any additional environmental benefits. At the same time, traceability is to remain guaranteed, albeit with simplified procedures.