Digital Government Factsheet 2019

The graph below is the result of the latest eGovernment Benchmark report, which monitors the development of eGovernment in Europe, based on specific indicators. These indicators are clustered within four main top-level benchmarks:

User Centricity – indicates to what extent (information about) a service is provided online and how this is perceived.

Transparency – indicates to what extent governments are transparent regarding: i) their own responsibilities and performance, ii) the process of service delivery and iii) personal data involved.

Cross-Border Mobility – indicates to what extent EU citizens and businesses can use online services in another country.

Key Enablers – indicates the extent to which five technical pre-conditions are available online. There are: Identification (eID), Electronic documents (eDocuments), Authoritative Sources, and Digital Post. Digital Post refers to the possibility that governments communicate electronically-only with citizens or entrepreneurs through e.g. personal mailboxes or other digital mail solutions.

These top-level benchmarks are measured using a life-events (e.g. mystery shopping) approach. Eight life events are included in the overall eGovernment performance score. Four of these life events were measured in 2013, 2015 and 2017 and the other four were measured in 2012, 2014, 2016, and again in 2018. The life events measured in 2017 were Regular business operations, Moving, Owning and driving a car and Starting a small claims procedure. The life events measured in 2018 are Business start-up, Losing and finding a job, Family life and Studying.

Source: eGovernment Benchmark Report 2018 Country Factsheet

Digital Government Highlights

Digital Government Political Communications

A central action field of the eGovernment Strategy from 2020 will be to ensure the possibility of interaction of the population in the activities of politics and administration.

Digital Government Legislation

The National Council approved the introduction of a state-approved digital identity (E-ID) on 20 March 2018. The federal government is responsible for the identification of a person. The E-ID is to be issued by private providers, so-called Identity Providers (IdP).

Digital Government Governance

Digital Government Infrastructure

Digital Government Services for Citizens and Businesses

The city of St. Gallen will use a prototype to test the potential and acceptance of a chatbot that enables chatting with a technical system. The city would thereby like to offer residents and the tourism sector improved access to the administration's services and information. Especially in the case of automated requests, this could provide relief for the administration and entail improved services for citizens.

The University of Applied Sciences St. Gallen is investigating the use of Language recognition and virtual assistants in eGovernment services and is developing a catalogue of requirements for language-based eGovernment services. It is in the testing phase with residents in order to derive recommendations for its design and implementation. The cooperation partner is the public institution eGovernment St.Gallen digital.

Moosseedorf is developing an eParticipation module (app or web app) together with the communes of Sargans and Untereggen, the Association of Swiss Communes (ASC) and ch.ch. Among other things, the module can be used to obtain feedback on proposals before a proposal has been prepared or to enable citizens to enter projects themselves, for example to organise an open-air cinema.

Digital Government Political Communications

Specific political communications on digital government

eGovernment Strategy (2020-2023)

A central action field of the eGovernment Strategy from 2020 will be to ensure the possibility of interaction of the population in the activities of politics and administration.

The following innovation projects were launched under the eGovernment strategy:

Data inventory modelling and introduction (Swiss Federal Archives);

Online portal for the results of elections and votes (canton of Zug);

Joint use of a portal infrastructure (cantons of Jura and Fribourg);

Digital vehicle registration document (Bern University of Applied Sciences);

Online application for supplementary childcare;

Electronic processing and archiving of official documents based on blockchain;

Implementing linked data technology for the Termdat database.

Federal Administration's ICT Strategy (2016 – 2019)

The previous programme ran from 2007 until 2011. The next federal ICT Strategy was launched in 2012 to lasted until the end of 2015. The third Federal ICT Strategy was adopted by the Federal Council on 4 December 2015; it covered the period 2016-19.

Key enablers

Access to public information

eID and Trust Services

Electronic Identity (eID)

In June 2018 the usage of a state-recognised e-ID for surfing on the internet was addressed by the Federal Council. Parliament was advised by the Federal Council to insist on clear rules when approving the final legislative package.

To guarantee the security of virtual exchanges, it was deemed essential that digital identification must be definitive and proceed without risk or confusion to the general public and users. Only the state can verify and officially confirm the existence of a person and the elements of his/her identity such as name, sex or date of birth. This function will be provided by a specific service attached to the Federal Department of Justice and Police, which maintains the official that records and holds the data.

The establishment and use of e-IDs will have to comply with the current data protection provisions.

Validator for Digital Documents

To increase the acceptance of electronically signed documents among recipients, the possibility of checking the authenticity and integrity of the document received meant that electronic signature validation became a requirement. Accordingly, signature validator was made available to recipients of electronically signed cantonal (official) documents. In 2018, the version of the validator for the authorities was completed, and its usage in cantonal (and communal) administrations was encouraged.

Security Aspects related to Digital Government

Interconnection of base registries

Creation of National Address Services

Access to electronic government services will be further developed and facilitated in an optimal manner for the stakeholder groups. This requires a shared understanding on the part of the Confederation, the cantons and the communes regarding how access to electronic government services and portals are to be designed.

In the case of many administrative procedures, such as the collection of the compensatory military tax or health insurance premiums, or the carrying out of recovery proceedings, the responsible authority contacts the person concerned in writing. In order to do so, it requires a current home address.

At present, home addresses are only partially available to administrations. A complex address procurement procedure is required with other authorities. Administrative processes could be simplified and optimised with the establishment of national address services which the Confederation, cantons and communes could access.

eProcurement

No political communication was adopted in this field to date.

Domain-specific political communications

eMovingCH

Electronic Voting

Swiss Post made its future e-voting system available for a public intrusion test from 25 February to 24 March 2019. The e-voting system is the first Swiss system that can be fully verified. Interested hackers from all over the world were invited to attack the system to test its functionality and security features.

eVAT

The second measure XML upload was implemented. It is now possible to upload VAT-related data directly from the accounting systems to the new FTA SuisseTax online VAT returns. Fiduciaries and tax representatives can apply for deadline extensions for all companies represented in a single procedure. As of the middle of 2018, the FTA SuisseTax portal exceeded the number of 100,000 companies submitting their VAT returns online.

DaziT Transformation Programme (2018-2026)

With the DaziT modernisation and transformation programme, Swiss Customs was systematically brought into the digital age. The objective was for border formalities to be completed irrespective of time or place. Businesses, the general public and the administration benefited from major simplifications thanks to continuously digitised processes. The programme, which spans the period from 2018 to 2026, will be carried out in stages. From 2023, it will be possible for the FCA's administrative costs in the affected areas to be reduced thanks to the productivity increase of about 20%. The DaziT programme was officially launched on 1 January 2018.

eHealth and CARA Association

After the cantons Geneva, Valais and Vaud, the cantons of Friborg and Jura also officially joined the CARA association. The five cantons have come together to form a reference community offering access to patients’ electronic files. They are committed to putting a common eHealth platform at the disposal of health care providers and their population, with a potential pool of two million people. The cantons of Geneva and Vaud agreed to cooperate with the Post Office and entrust technical implementation to all the cantons-members. The platform is targeted for operational completion at the end of 2019.

Interoperability

Swiss eGovernment Architecture Project (eGovCH)

Standardisation instruments, such as the Swiss eGovernment standards agency eCH, which creates and promotes eGovernment standards throughout Switzerland.
Reference architectures, which facilitate the work of planners and implementers of eGovernment solutions.
Standardisation for eGovernment which evolves in two directions:
- eCH-0014 "SAGA.ch" defining technological standards and basic architectures for applications in Switzerland;
- eCH-0018: XML Best Practices which describes how XML schemes can be created for use in Swiss eGovernment.
Instruments for Strategic IT Planning, such as the eCH-0015: Inventory of Official Processes.
eCH-0145 of the public administration of Switzerland contains the planning and steering of the activity by politics and management, the interfederal/interdepartmental understanding, cooperation and communication with politics, the population and the economy.

Emerging technologies

Cloud-computing Strategy of the Swiss authorities (2012 – 2020)

Blockchain eVoting

The city of Zug adopted an eVoting system based on blockchain technology. Today 220 residents in Zug have digital identities, which is obligatory for eVoting. 72 took part in the electronic vote held between 25 June and 1 July 2019.

Working group on Artificial Intelligence

Smart Cities, Smart Villages and Smart Regions

The Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications, DETEC, will by mid-2019 draw up a concept and an action plan to support the towns and cities, the municipalities and the cantons in the development of Smart Cities, Smart Villages and Smart Regions.

Digital Government Legislation

Specific legislation on digital government

No political communication was adopted in this field to date.

Key enablers

Access to public information

Freedom of Information in the Administration Act

This Freedom of Information in the Administration Act (2004) seeks to promote transparency with regard to the mandate, organisation and activities of the Administration. To this end, it contributes to informing the public by ensuring access to official documents. It was passed by the Federal Assembly on 17 December 2004 and came into force in July 2006.

Re-use of Public Sector Information (PSI)

Provisions of the EU directive on the re-use of PSI (2003/98/EC) are covered by the Freedom of Information in the Administration Act and the Federal Act on Data Protection.

eID and Trust Services

Federal Law on Certification Services in the Area of Electronic Signature (last amended in 2011)

The Federal Law on Certification Services in the Area of Electronic Signature came into force on 1 January 2005. It defined the conditions under which providers of certification services could be recognised on a voluntary basis and regulated their activities in the field of electronic certificates. It stipulated requirements that must be fulfilled by an electronic signature to achieve the same status as its hand-written alternative. Additionally, it regulated the question of responsibility on the part of the certification service providers, approving bodies and the owners of signature keys. The validator for digital documents allowed the increase of acceptance of electronically signed documents among recipients, in order to check the authenticity and integrity of the document received. The signature validator has been in operation in the pilot canton of Zug since beginning 2017.

The Validator is a signature verification service that allows users with an electronic signature to check documents held by the administrative authorities of each canton, municipalities and administrative courts. This service provided by the federal government first became operational on 1 January 2017. The federal Validator is, mainly, used to validate objections to the (Canton Zug) administrative court, tax declarations, criminal complaints of the (Canton Zug) police and electronically submitted decisions and orders, and in particular electronically submitted residence confirmations. The federal Validator is open for all cantons and municipalities, not only within Canton Zug

Security aspects related to digital government

Federal Act on Data Protection (last amended in 2014)

The Federal Act on Data Protection, approved on 19 June 1992 and entered into force on 1 July 1993, aimed to protect the privacy and fundamental rights of Swiss nationals when their data is processed by state entities. It applied to the processing of data pertaining to natural persons and legal entities by federal bodies and private persons.

The majority of Swiss cantons introduced similar legislation to govern public sector data collection and processing in their respective localities. Swiss law was granted adequacy approval by the EU in 2000.

The Federal Council’s update of the Ordinance on Data Protection entered into force on 1 November 2016.

Almost every Swiss company has to comply with the data protection law of the EU. Switzerland must adapt its data protection law so that "the free transfer of data between Swiss companies and those in the EU remains possible." Without the adjustment, Switzerland risks that the European Union (EU) no longer considers data protection in Switzerland to be adequate, because the differences to the Basic Data Protection Regulation (DSGVO) are too great

Ordinance of the Federal Department of Finance on Electronic Data and Information (last amended in 2018)

This Ordinance of the Federal Department of Finance on Electronic Data and Information regulates the technical, organisational and procedural requirements concerning the evidential value and control of data and information (electronic data) produced electronically or in a comparable manner in accordance with Articles 122–124 of the VAT Ordinance (VATO) of 27 November 2009.

Interconnection of base registries

Commercial Registry

The Commercial Registry is regulated under the Order of 17 October 2007 on the Commercial Registry which describes the purpose of the Registry as the one “used for the constitution and the identification of legal entities. It aims to record and publish the legally relevant facts and to ensure legal certainty and the protection of third parties under mandatory provisions of law.” It does not provide an exact definition, but it sets complete information regarding the registry’s authorities, content, composition, electronic communication, registration procedures, principles governing registration, etc. A complete list of the legal basis for the Commercial Registry can be accessed via the Federal Office of Justice portal.

Land Registry

The Land Registry is guided by the Order of 23 September 2011 on the Land Registry which defined the Registry as a “public registry for real estate rights, annotations and references, consisting of the ledger, the newspaper, the plan of the Land Registry and vouchers” (art.2). The ordinance regulated the organisation for keeping the Land Registry, the structure, content and legal effects of the Land Registry, the communications and electronic transactions with the Land Registry office, the procedure for registration, modification and cancellation of real estate rights, as well as for registration, modification and removal of annotations and references, delivery of information and consultation of the Land Registry. Another important piece of legislation affecting the Land Registry, Order of 18 November 1992 on the Cadastral Survey, referred to measurements approved by cantons and recognised by the Confederation executed for the establishment and maintenance of the Land Registry. This data is used by federal, cantonal and communes, economic circles, academia, and others to obtain Geo-information. Cadastral Surveying was regulated by order of 21 May 2008 on Geo-information, unless with the special provision of this Ordinance.

Population Registry

The Population Registry is guided by the Law on Population Registration (EMG) of 17 December 2008. Its purpose was to regulate the census records and recording system, as well as the legally provided exchange of personal information between the Population Registry and other official person registries. Another law concerning the Population Registry is the Federal law on the harmonisation of the Population Registry and other official records of people which aims to simplify the data collection for statistical purposes by the harmonising personal registries and the exchange of data between the registries. It establishes the identifiers and characters to be included in the records, the competencies of the Federal Statistical Office relating to uniform standards, the characters and terms, the principle of completeness and accuracy of records, and the obligation to update the registries of residents.

eProcurement

Ordinance on Public Procurement (2007, last amended in 2017)

The public procurement ordinance came into force on 1 January 2007 and included provisions for electronic public procurement. A revised version was approved by the Federal Council on 18 November 2009 and entered into force on 1 January 2010. The eProcurement Technical Committee oversees application of eProcurement procedures according to article 18 of the ordinance

Domain-specific legislation

eCommerce Legislation

There is no specific law for eCommerce; aspects of eCommerce are covered by the Federal Law on Certification Services in the area of Electronic Signature (ZertES) adopted in 2004 and last amended in 2011. As a result, eCommerce operations in Switzerland can be legally complicated and require specialised legal assistance.

Federal Telecommunications Law (last amended in 2018)

The Federal Telecommunications Law was originally adopted on 30 April 1997 and subsequently amended by the Federal Assembly on 24 March 2006 before entering into force on 1 April 2007. Amendments included the Law itself and the adoption of the Radio and Television Act in 2006.

Interoperability

No legislation was adopted in this field to date.

Emerging technologies

No legislation was adopted in this field to date.

Digital Government Governance

National

Policy

Ueli Maurer

Head of the Federal Department of Finance and Chair of the Steering Committee for implementation of the eGovernment strategy

Contact details:

Federal Department of Finance

Bundesgasse 3

3003 Bern

Tel.: +41 31 322 2111

Fax: +41 31 323 3852

E-mail: info@gs-efd.admin.ch

Source: http://www.egovernment.ch/

Federal IT Council (FITC)

The FITC is the consultative body for the FITSU on ICT business requiring consultation with the departments and the Federal Chancellery, especially for the issuing of specifications and the approval of exceptions concerning compliance with such specifications.

Coordination

The Programme Office is the administrative unit of the Steering Committee, which is contained within the Federal IT Steering Unit (FITSU) and is responsible for coordinating the implementation of the eGovernment strategy.

Interdepartmental Information Society Committee (IISC)

Implementation

Steering Committee

Planning Committee

Programme Office

Support

Federal IT Steering Unit (FITSU)

FITSU coordinates cooperation between the Confederation, the cantons and the communes in the field of eGovernment and manages the Reporting and Analysis Centre for Information Assurance (MELANI).

Peter Fischer

Director of the Federal IT Steering Unit (FITSU), Delegate for Federal IT Steering

Contact details:

Federal IT Steering Unit (FITSU)

Schwarztorstrasse 59

CH-3003 Bern

Tel.: +41 (0)58 46 245 38

E-mail: info@isb.admin.ch

Source: https://www.isb.admin.ch/

Cedric Roy

Manager Programme Office, E-Government Switzerland

Contact details:

Federal IT Steering Unit (FITSU)

Schwarztorstrasse 59

CH-3003 Bern

Tel.: + 41 58 464 79 21

E-mail: cedric.roy@egovernment.ch

Source: http://www.egovernment.ch/

Swiss IT Conference (SIK/CSI)

The Swiss IT Conference is an ICT inter-cantonal advisory organisation whose members are public bodies, federal enterprises, institutions and IT organisations of various public administrations. It aims at strengthening cooperation between these bodies in the area of ICT and eGovernment. In particular, it promotes the systematic sharing of all types of information, experience and basic principles.

Swiss eGovernment Architecture Community (SEAC)

SEAC brings together industry, government authorities and academia, and aims to set guidelines for next-generation IT architectures in the Swiss public sector. It is tasked with supporting, among other targets, the electronic handling of all communications between businesses and public bodies, as well as the electronic information exchange among public bodies.

Federal Office of IT, Systems and Telecommunications (FOITT)

FOITT is a key provider of information technology and telecommunications services to the Swiss Federal Administration. Its main role is to ensure that communications equipment and IT applications within the Administration function optimally. As required by the IT Council, it also provides interdepartmental services to the entire Federal Administration, particularly in the areas of Internet access and messaging, SAP, operational security and telecommunications.

eCH

eJusticeCH

eJusticeCH Association fulfils the task of a coordination office for legal issues within the eGovernment environment. The dissemination of important legal findings and results among the public bodies is ensured by means of appropriate electronic publication resources. This also includes the findings of the intercantonal legal specialist group and the advisory service provided.

ICTswitzerland – ePower and Parldigi

eOperations

Base registry coordination

Municipalities and Federal Department of Justice and Police

The Federal Roads Office (ASTRA) under the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC)

ASTRA is responsible of the Vehicle Registry.

Commercial Registry Offices

Commercial Registry Offices is responsible for the Commercial Registry. The responsibility for keeping and maintaining the Commercial Registry offices lie with the cantons. Each canton shall designate a supervisory authority, responsible for exercising administrative supervision of the Office handling the Commercial Registry. Furthermore, the Federal Commercial Registry Office keeps a central registry, which is updated daily and is available via the Zefix portal.

Office for Land Registry and Land Law (OFRF)

The Office for Land Registry and Land Law (OFRF) is responsible for the Land Registry. The organisation and keeping of the land registries are the responsibility of the cantons. The cantons determine the official language in which the ledger is to be held in the district of the Land Registry. The Federal Office of Land Registry and Land Law (OFRF) of the Federal Office of Justice is the one exercising supervisory control on keeping the land registry by the cantons and external agencies in the federal government that it has designated. It also sets the catalogue data for the Land Registry and prepares the establishment of data models and uniform interfaces for keeping the Land Registry.

Federal Tax Administration, Federal Department of Finance

Federal Tax Administration, Federal Department of Finance is responsible of the Tax Registry.

Audit

Swiss Federal Audit Office (SFAO)

SFAO is the supreme supervisory body of the Confederation. It supports the Federal Assembly and the Federal Council; it is independent and bound only by the Federal Constitution and the law. It scrutinises the financial conduct of the Federal Administration and that of numerous semi-government bodies and international organisations.

Data Protection

The Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC)

FDPIC is the supervising authority established by the Federal Act on Data Protection and is administratively affiliated to the Chancellery. It supervises and advises federal, cantonal and private bodies, gives opinion on draft legislation, informs the public and maintains and publishes the Register for Data Files. Furthermore, it verifies the implementation, effectiveness and cost of the Transparency Law, and submits a report to the Federal Council on a regular basis.

Cybersecurity Competence Centre

The Swiss Federal Council kicked off the creation of the Cybersecurity Competence Centre on 30 January 2019. It set the tasks and competences in the fight against cyber risks and created a Delegation for Cybersecurity (Delegation Cyber), composed of the heads of the Federal department of Finance, the Federal Department of Defence, Protection of Population and Sport and the Federal Department of Justice and Police.

The Confederation intends to participate actively in the protection of the population and the business community against cyber risks and improve the security of its own systems.

Subnational (federal, regional and local)

Policy

Coordination

Conference of the Cantonal Governments (CCG)

CCG comprises the cantonal governments and encourages cooperation in the cantons' field of competence, as well as federal matters relevant to the cantons. Its more general role is to coordinate availability of relevant information to the cantons, such as the implementation of the eGovernment Strategy until late-2011. CCG is regularly informed of such efforts through the cantonal representatives on the Steering Committee.

Implementation

Cantonal Directors' Conference

Support

Swiss IT Conference (SIK/CSI)

This inter-cantonal organisation aims to promote cooperation in the field of ICT. It carries out a coordination and harmonisation function, by setting standards and publishing recommendations for its members.

Base registry coordination

No responsible organisations were reported to date.

Audit

Cantonal Audit Offices

The cantons are responsible for their own finances and procedures and have their own audit offices. The Federal Office deals with audits regarding federal funds towards the cantons.

Data Protection

No responsible organisations were reported to date.

Digital Government Infrastructure

Portals

Swiss Portal

The portal contains the following sites:

ch.ch

The website is the main part of ch.ch. Here you can find information about political rights and what is required of Swiss nationals.

ch.ch – publicjobs

http://www.publicjobs.ch/ is the national job portal for the public administration. It is run by the Kantonale Drucksachen- und Materialzentrale Zürich (KDMZ) on behalf of the Federal Chancellery and forms part of ch.ch.

ch.ch – Blog

The blog enables discussion about ch.ch with the users. Needs, expectations and technology are constantly changing - ch.ch wants to keep up with its users.

ch.ch on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube

ch.ch uses Facebook, Twitter and other social media to communicate with users who also use these services. All information and services provided on ch.ch can however be accessed independently through the ch.ch website.

Swiss Federal Authorities’ Portal

SME Portal

The portal sme.admin.ch provides a wide range of information and online tools for SMEs ranging from the start-up phase and succession planning to business management.

Debt Enforcement Portal

Simap.ch

Opendata.swiss

EasyGov.swiss

EasyGov is a secure and reliable platform which allows companies to electronically process authorisation, application and reporting procedures from a single location. This portal relieves and saves costs – both for companies and the authorities. Version 1.0 of the EasyGov.swiss platform was launched on 6 November 2017. The number of services provided will be extended in the coming years, so that the most sought-after authority services will have been made available by the end of 2019. It currently provides the following authority services:

Company foundation;
Registration with the OASI, the VAT, and accident insurance;
Registration and changes with the Commercial Register.

By the end of 2018, 21 government services were available on the portal with more than 9,000 were registered. The number of services provided will be extended in the coming years; the most sought-after authority services will have been made available by the end of 2019.

iGovPortal.ch

The canton of Jura is creating the prerequisites for various authorities to be able to use a similar portal infrastructure. This should be available in several languages. Fribourg and St. Gallen have introduced the portal as the first pilot cantons. The canton of Solothurn is now a member since 1 January 2019.

Elections Results Portal

The three cantons of Grisons, Schwyz and Zug have together developed an online portal for publishing the results of elections and votes.

VAT Transactions

For online deadline extensions, requests for settlement of accounts according to received fees, statements of subordination and balance tax rate methods.

Online Desk for Swiss Nationals Residing Abroad

With the online desk Swiss nationals residing abroad have the possibility to access consular services, such as registering in the Swiss Abroad Register, notifications of changes of civil status, changes of address etc.

Networks

Federal Office of Information Technology, Systems and Telecommunication (FOITT)

FOITT is one of the internal ICT service providers in the Federal Administration. It supports the administration by developing and providing efficient, secure, user- and public-friendly IT solutions.

Data Exchange

Sedex

eID and Trust Services

ID Cards

Until further notice, the Swiss ID card will continue to be issued in the form of a plastic photo-card without a chip or electronically stored data.

SuisseID, SwissID, Mobile ID and E-ID

SuisseID enables people to identify themselves uniquely online and to add a valid electronic signature to contracts. It is a digital passport and electronic signature all in one.

The SuisseID comprises the following three elements:

Electronic proof of identity

Facilitates participation to all electronic services requiring a secure identification of users/customers.

Qualified electronic signature

Facilitates the electronic signing of documents. Digital signatures cannot be counterfeited, and, by law, they are equivalent to traditional signatures.

Transparency regarding business-relevant personal attributes

Persons listed in professional (or other) registers and directories are able to substantiate unequivocally the correctness of these personal attributes to third parties.

A new generation of digital identity – SwissID – has been available since spring 2017. This new SwissID did not replace the SuisseID which remained available as a product. Nothing changed for SuisseID users; they could still continue using their old ID as before. Both services complemented each other’s functionality; in the medium term, however, SuisseID will be incorporated into SwissID.

The Mobile ID is a joint solution of various Swiss mobile service providers and serves two-factor authentication. It is used as a login or as an authorisation method. For example, to release a transfer from one bank account to another. In the form of a text message, a request is sent to the mobile phone and confirmed by entering the Mobile ID PIN.
A state-approved digital identity (E-ID) the introduction of which was approved by the National Council on 20 March 2018. The federal government is responsible for the identification of a person. The E-ID is valid nationally and internationally and is issued by private providers, the so-called Identity Providers (IdP).

Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)

On 1 January 2005, the legal regulations on the electronic signature (ZertES, VzertED and the corresponding amendments) entered into force. This meant that the ZertES-compliant electronic signature was legally equivalent to a handwritten signature, anchoring in law the accountability of the owner of the signing key. Recognition of the respective certification service provider resided with a certification service that met the requirements of the law. The Federal Office of IT, Systems and Telecommunications (FOITT) provided its admin PKI solution, a security service basis for the Confederation and cantons. FOITT was recognised by all cantons and by the Swiss Information Technology Conference (SITC) as the leading provider of digital certificates.

eProcurement

National eProcurement Platform simap.ch

eInvoicing

No particular infrastructure in this field was reported to date.

ePayment

No particular infrastructure in this field was reported to date.

Knowledge Management

No particular infrastructure in this field was reported to date.

Cross-border platforms

EU Initiatives

Base registries

Personal Civil Status Register

Digital Government Services for Citizens

The information in this section presents an overview of the basic public services provided to the citizens. These were identified taking inspiration from Your Europe, a website which aims to help citizens do things in other European countries – avoiding unnecessary inconvenience and red tape in regard to moving, living, studying, working, shopping or simply travelling abroad. However, the categories used in this factsheet aim to collect a broader range of information, focusing therefore not only on cross-border services, but also on national services.

The groups of services for citizens are as follows:

Travel

Work and retirement

Vehicles

Residence formalities

Education and youth

Health

Family

Consumers

Travel

Documents you need for travel in Europe
Passport
Responsibility:	'Passeport Suisse', Federal Office of Police, individual cantons and communes
Website:	https://www.fedpol.admin.ch/fedpol/de/home/pass---identitaetskarte/pass.html
Description:	Switzerland issues biometric passports ('Pass 10') which feature an electronic chip containing the holder's facial image and two digital fingerprints, in addition to personal data. Responsibility for the entire delivery process lies with the competent commune units in the cantons of residence in Switzerland and the diplomatic and consular representations abroad. Information on documents needed and forms to download are available online for each canton and corresponding commune of residence.

Work and retirement

Professional qualifications
Job search services by labour offices
Responsibility:	Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Federal Personal Office
Website:	https://www.job-room.ch/#/home; https://www.stelle.admin.ch/stelle/de/home.html
Description:	Online databases with job offerings and search facilities are available for both the private and public sectors, with multilingual support and connection to the European Mobility Portal (EURES).
Unemployment & benefits
Unemployment benefits
Responsibility:	Federal State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO and cantonal authorities (partly private assurances)
Website:	http://www.treffpunkt-arbeit.ch/
Description:	Information about unemployment benefits; forms to download and submit manually.
Unemployment insurance (enrolment)
Responsibility:	Federal State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO and cantonal authorities (partly private assurances)
Website:	https://www.seco.admin.ch/seco/en/home/seco/Staatssekretariat_fuer_Wirtschaft_SECO/direktion-fuer-arbeit/Arbeitsmarkt_Arbeitslosenversicherung.html; https://www.ahv-iv.ch/en/Social-insurances/Unemployment-insurance-ALV
Description:	The enrolment service for unemployment insurance.
Taxes
Income taxes: declaration, notification of assessment
Responsibility:	Federal Tax Administration, Federal Department of Finance; Cantonal Government
Website:	https://www.estv.admin.ch/estv/en/home.html
Description:	The tax declaration is aided by a downloadable software application which facilitates completion and can be submitted by individuals.
Tax return
Responsibility:	Several cantons
Website:	https://www.ch.ch/en/tax-return/
Description:	Tax return for legal persons and individuals online. This approach allows taxpayers to structure their own data store and retrieve annually again. The high data quality allows tax authorities an efficient editing by means of automated assessment support.

Vehicles

Cars
Vehicle service
Responsibility:	Several cantons
Website:	https://www.vd.ch/themes/mobilite/automobile/ (Vaud canton); etc.
Description:	For individual and business use involving vehicle and driver licensing services offered by Road Traffic Offices. Appointments for inspections, orders badges, information and other services are largely carried out electronically. This project reduces the effort for customers and gain flexibility. Road Traffic Offices benefit from optimised processes and lower processing costs.
Vehicle plates
Responsibility:	Several cantons
Website:	http://verkehrszulassung.ch/zulassung/ (information)
Description:	Replacement of lost or stolen licence plates is available as an online service in several Swiss cantons.
Parking permits
Responsibility:	Several cantons
Website:	https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/pd/de/index/dav/parkkarten_bewilligungen.html (Zurich); http://www.polizei.bs.ch/verkehr/strassenverkehr/parkieren/anwohnerparkkarte.html (Basel); etc.
Description:	Residents and tradespeople can apply for and pay for parking tickets electronically. This gives customers greater flexibility and cost reduction. The administration benefits from optimised seamless processes from different locations and can reduce process costs overall.
Driving licence
Driver’s licence
Responsibility:	Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications, Road Traffic Offices of cantons (Association of the Road Traffic Cantons)
Website:	http://fuehrerausweise.ch/
Description:	Forms to download and submit manually to the Road Traffic Offices of the cantons to obtain a licence.
Registration
Car registration (new, used, imported cars)
Responsibility:	Association of Road Traffic Offices of cantons
Website:	http://verkehrszulassung.ch/
Description:	Information and forms to download and submit to the Road Traffic Offices of the cantons.

Residence formalities

Residence rights
Permanent residence permit
Responsibility:	Several cantons
Website:	https://www.ch.ch/en/renewal-overview-swiss-residence-permit (information)
Description:	Residence permit for EU / EFTA nationals (EC/EFTA) eService.
Announcement of moving (change of address)
Responsibility:	Residents’ Registration Office at commune
Website:	http://www.ch.ch/private/
Description:	Information and some facilities (according to the commune) to obtain the paper form to officially announce a change of address in a non-electronic way. Notification must be made to both departure and arrival registration offices.
eMoving Platform
Responsibility:	Swiss Conference on Informatics
Website:	https://www.egovernment.ch/en/umsetzung/schwerpunktplan/e-umzug-schweiz/
Description:	The objective of the project is to enable the electronic reporting and processing of changes of addresses.
Announcement of moving (signing out of the residential community)
Responsibility:	Residents’ Registration Office at commune
Website:	https://www.ch.ch/en/notification-departure-registration/
Description:	Residents of Switzerland have the option to inform, the authorities via the Internet (change of address within the municipality, arrival, departure). A visit to the expatriation and immigration centre is no longer necessary.
Document and formalities
Acquisition of land
Responsibility:	Several cantons
Website:	https://www.ch.ch/en/real-estate-foreign-national/
Description:	Authorisation for the acquisition of real estate by persons abroad available as an online service.
Certificates (birth, marriage): request and delivery
Responsibility:	Municipal Registry Offices
Website:	https://www.ch.ch/en/ordering-civil-status-certificates/ (information) https://www.ch.ch/en/marriage/ (information on marriage certificates) https://www.ch.ch/en/register-birth (information on birth registration)
Description:	Issue of marriage certificate is available as an online service in one canton in Switzerland.
Criminal record
Responsibility:	Federal Office of Justice
Website:	https://www.e-service.admin.ch/crex/cms/content/strafregister/strafregister_en/
Description:	Criminal justice records can be ordered via the website of Federal Office of Justice. There are two options for ordering: with a handwritten signature on paper, and by post, or electronically via SuisseID.
Declaration to the police (e.g. in case of theft)
Responsibility:	Suisse ePolice (Cooperation of 13 Cantonal Police Offices)
Website:	https://suisse-epolice.ch/epolice/
Description:	Online portal for electronic declaration of minor offences like theft or vandalism.
Delivery of death certificate
Responsibility:	Municipal Registry Offices
Website:	https://www.ch.ch/en/checklist-death-until-funeral-part-1/ (information)
Description:	Several cantons offer an online service of request for a delivery of a death certificate.
Dog ownership
Responsibility:	Municipal Residents’ Registration Office
Website:	https://www.ch.ch/en/dog-tax/ (information)
Description:	Registration of dog ownership.
Electronic signature
Responsibility:	Federal Office of Justice (legal framework) and service providers (certification service)
Website:	Legal framework: https://www.admin.ch/opc/de/classified-compilation/20011277/index.html Certification Service Providers: Swisscom: http://www.swissdigicert.ch/sdcs/portal/page?lang=en Quo Vadis: https://www.quovadisglobal.ch/?sc_lang=en-GB Swisssign: https://www.swisssign.com/en/ Federal Office of Information Technology, Systems and Telecommunication FOITT: https://www.bit.admin.ch/adminpki/
Description:	The electronic signature law is called ZertES. The legislation regulates the conditions in which trust service providers may use certification services with electronic signatures. Additionally, ZertES provides a framework that specifies the provider’s rights and obligations when providing certification services. There are 4 certification service providers.
Housing (building and housing, environment)
Responsibility:	Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications
Website:	https://www.uvek.admin.ch
Description:	Information and forms to download and submit to local offices of the cantons.
Housing (minor building permit)
Responsibility:	Several cantons
Website:	https://www.ch.ch/en/building-permit/
Description:	The applicant can submit the planning application and the necessary documentation to the competent authority electronically. He/she is informed of the procedure’s expiration authorisation by electronic means.
Land registry (eGris)
Responsibility:	Several cantons
Website:	https://www.bj.admin.ch/bj/fr/home/wirtschaft/grundbuch/egris.html; https://www.egris.admin.ch/egris/fr/home.html
Description:	An electronic information system allows online interactions to request essential information. Land registry data held by public authorities and industry can be obtained electronically. The electronic settlement of commerce with the land registry is also possible.
Personal civil status register
Responsibility:	Federal Department of Justice and Police
Website:	http://www.bj.admin.ch/content/bj/fr/home/themen/gesellschaft/zivilstand.html; https://www.ch.ch/en/ordering-civil-status-certificates/
Description:	Citizens must register within their communes in person. To order civil status documents, citizens have to consider their place of birth (in and outside Switzerland) in case the document can only be delivered there.
eVoting
Responsibility:	The Swiss Portal
Website:	https://www.egovernment.ch/en/umsetzung/schwerpunktplan/vote-electronique
Description:	Cantons are at different stages of readiness for introducing the electronic system of voting. The aim is for all citizens of Switzerland to be able to participate in elections and referendums from the comfort of their homes.

Education and youth

School & university
Enrolment in higher education/university
Responsibility:	State Secretariat for Education and Research, Federal Rectors Conference of the Swiss Universities
Website:	https://www.sbfi.admin.ch/; http://www.swissuniversities.ch
Description:	Description of application procedures to start the non-electronic submission process for enrolment.
Public libraries (availability of catalogues, search tools)
Responsibility:	Federal Department of Home Affairs, Swiss National Library
Website:	https://www.ch.ch; http://www.nb.admin.ch/
Description:	Switzerland has many public libraries, ranging from city, communal and cantonal libraries to university and specialised libraries and to the Swiss National Library. Numerous online catalogues can be accessed for book searches. Library associations provide the opportunity to carry out city and university-wide searches. The BibliOpass network includes the National Library and the Swiss Libraries Virtual Information System which provide similar facilities. Books and other media can for the most part be ordered or reserved online and then checked out at the loan desk.
Student grants
Responsibility:	State Secretariat for Education and Research, Federal Department of Home Affairs
Website:	https://www.sbfi.admin.ch; https://www.ch.ch/en/grants-and-student-loans/
Description:	Information about procedures on applying for grants (second address); forms to download and submit manually, at cantonal and Federal levels.

Health

Health
Medical costs (reimbursement or direct settlement)
Responsibility:	Federal Department of Home Affairs, cantons and communes
Website:	https://www.edi.admin.ch/; https://www.ch.ch
Description:	Information about medical cost reimbursements through social security; there are forms to manually download and submit.

Family

Children and couples
Certificates (birth): request and delivery
Responsibility:	Registry Office of the commune
Website:	https://www.ch.ch/en/register-birth
Description:	Information is available online at the national portal which leads to pages of the communes, where instructions and downloadable forms are available to obtain a birth or marriage certificate in a non-electronic manner.
Family allowances
Responsibility:	Several cantons
Website:	https://www.ch.ch/en/family-allowances
Description:	The family allowance is available in several cantons.
Kindergarten sign-up / Day care sign-up
Responsibility:	Several cantons
Website:	https://www.ch.ch/de/ausserfamiliare-kinderbetreuung
Description:	The kindergarten online sign-up service is available in numerous cantons.
Certificates (marriage): request and delivery
Responsibility:	Registry Office of the commune
Website:	https://www.ch.ch/en/marriage/
Description:	Information is available online at the national portal. It leads to the pages of the communes where instructions and downloadable forms to obtain birth or marriage certificates are available.

Consumers

Shopping
VAT registers
Responsibility:	Several cantons
Website:	http://www.egovernment-landkarte.ch/#/search?nature=service&page=1&size=100
Description:	Registration as a taxable person available as an online service at several cantons of Switzerland.
Financial products and services
Electronic invoicing and payment processing
Responsibility:	Federal Finance Administration
Website:	http://www.e-rechnung.admin.ch/e/index.php; https://www.e-bill.ch/en/E-bill-Receive-check-and-pay-bills-in-your-e-banking-system-108.html
Description:	For the electronic processing of fee-based public services, an electronic billing and payment processing method is necessary. The Swiss authorities have standardised modular services for electronic invoicing and payment processing - these can be integrated at a low cost in various online processes. It increases efficiency in both the development and the operation of fee-based public services.

Digital Government Services for Businesses

The information in this section presents an overview of the basic public services provided to the Businesses. These were identified taking inspiration from Your Europe, a website which aims to help citizens do things in other European countries – avoiding unnecessary inconvenience and red tape in regard to moving, living, studying, working, shopping or simply travelling abroad. However, the categories used in this factsheet aim to collect a broader range of information, focusing therefore not only on cross-border services, but also on national services.

The groups of services for businesses are as follows:

Running a business
Taxation
Selling in the EU
Human Resources
Product requirements
Financing and Funding
Dealing with Customers

Running a business

Start-Ups, developing a business
Registration of a new company
Responsibility:	Swiss Confederation
Website:	https://www.easygov.swiss
Description:	EasyGov is the online portal for businesses: The EasyGov one-stop portal facilitates and centralises administrative procedures for Swiss businesses. As a replacement of the StartBiz platform, this one-stop portal centralises, facilitates, accelerates, and optimises compulsory administrative procedures for companies. Existing businesses can also carry out numerous administrative procedures.

Taxation

Excise duties, VAT and business tax
VAT: declaration, notification
Responsibility:	Federal Tax Administration, Federal Department of Finance
Website:	https://www.estv.admin.ch https://www.estv.admin.ch/estv/de/home/mehrwertsteuer /dienstleistungen /mwst-abrechnung-online.html https://www.easygov.swiss/easygov/#/en/taxes
Description:	The tax declaration is aided by a downloadable software application which facilitates completion of forms that can be submitted by businesses online. Since the introduction of the electronic VAT declaration in the FTA SuisseTax portal, around 20% of companies subject to VAT in Switzerland have already started to use this online service. As of 2018, it is possible to upload the VAT- related data directly from the accounting systems to the FTA SuisseTax online VAT returns. Fiduciaries and tax representatives can apply for deadline extensions for all companies represented in a single procedure. As of the middle of 2018, the FTA SuisseTax portal exceeded the number of 100,000 companies submitting their VAT returns online. This extension is expected to further increase the use of the SuisseTax portal. EasyGov makes the necessary administrative tasks simple, fast and efficient. This secure and reliable platform allows companies to electronically process authorisation, application and reporting procedures in a single location. It is currently available mainly at the federal level and will in the future also be available in many cantonal authorities and at a municipal level. EasyGov relieves and saves costs - for both companies and the authorities. Amongst other things easyGov simplifies the registration to Value Added Tax (VAT
Corporate tax: declaration, notification
Responsibility:	Federal Tax Administration, Federal Department. of Finance; Cantonal Government
Website:	https://www.efd.admin.ch; http://www.getax.ch/
Description:	The tax declaration is aided by a downloadable software application which facilitates completion and can be submitted online by businesses. Federal and local taxes exist. At cantonal level, the Geneva site is given above as an example.

Selling in the EU

Public contracts
Public procurement
Responsibility:	Federal Department of Finance, Federal Procurement Commission
Website:	http://www.bbl.admin.ch/; https://www.simap.ch/
Description:	Case handling, and the decision and delivery of a standard procedure to tender, can be completed via the web. No other formal procedure is necessary for the applicant through “paperwork”. A Competence Centre is also available for assistance. Furthermore, simap.ch is a platform to facilitate public eProcurement which is shared by the federal government, cantons and communes. It offers a simple procedure for public contract-awarding authorities to post their tenders and, if need be, any relevant tender documents
Selling goods and services
Customs declarations (eCustoms)
Responsibility:	Swiss Federal Customs Administration
Website:	http://www.ezv.admin.ch
Description:	The service provider offers the possibility of an electronic intake with an official electronic form to declare customs, under the Swiss Customs' Model 90 System (M90). The Federal Customs Administration has diverse form-based and IT-based solutions for the import, transit, and export of goods.

Human Resources

Social security and health
Accidents insurance
Responsibility:	Several cantons
Website:	Several services https://www.ch.ch/en/accident-insurance-who-covered/
Description:	Accident insurance for employees. All businesses are significantly relieved of effort with the possibility of electronic transmission of their payroll data to the competent authorities.
Social contributions for employees
Responsibility:	Federal Social Insurance Office
Website:	https://www.bsv.admin.ch/bsv/de/home.html https://www.easygov.swiss/easygov/#/en/social-insurances
Description:	The service provides forms which can be downloaded, completed and submitted on paper but not online.
Equal treatment and qualification
Work permits
Responsibility:	Several cantons
Website:	https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/en/home/themen/fza_schweiz-eu-efta/eu-efta_buerger_schweiz.html; https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/en/home/themen/arbeit/nicht-eu_efta-angehoerige.html; https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/en/home/themen/fza_schweiz-eu-efta/meldeverfahren.html
Description:	Companies can request/apply for approval to work in the field (in particular to working time, reduced working time, profession and foreigners) electronically. Status of request, and the decisions itself are provided by the authorities to enterprises electronically.

Product requirements

Energy labels, eco-design requirements, EU eco-label
Environment-related permits (incl. reporting)
Responsibility:	Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications
Website:	https://www.uvek.admin.ch
Description:	The site offers the possibility to download the paper form to obtain an environment-related permit in a non-electronic way. Applications are handled locally at canton and municipality levels.

Finance and funding

Accounting
Submission of data to statistical offices
Responsibility:	Swiss Federal Statistical Office
Website:	https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home.html
Description:	Enterprises are able to submit statistical data online.

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Digital Government Factsheet 2019

Switzerland

Table of Contents

Security Aspects related to Digital Government

Base registry coordination

eProcurement