Swiss Review 1/2018

Swiss Review / January 2018 / No.1 26 news.admin.ch Switzerland’s digital transformation The aim of e-government is to provide the public, economy and administration with easy-to-use, location-independent and fast services. The use of state-of-the-art information and communication technology (ICT) enables services to be delivered securely, transparently and efficiently. This also benefits the Swiss Abroad. Huge progress has been made in the field of ICT over recent decades, which has also had an impact on the work of government and politi- cal institutions. They are making increasing use of the internet to make access to information for the public easier than before and to deliver services digitally. These digital services include e-voting, for example. 21 st -century technology is being deployed tomaintain Switzerland’s culture and tradition of exercising political rights. Groups with special require- ments, such as the Swiss Abroad, benefit from this in particular. On 5 April 2017, the Federal Council agreed steps towards the nation- wide introduction of electronic voting. It intends to submit an amendment to the legal basis to Parliament, thus establishing e-voting as a third official method of voting alongside postal voting and voting at the ballot box. Around 77,000 Swiss Abroadwere able to cast their votes electroni- cally on 24 September 2017 in the cantons of Berne, Lucerne, Fri- bourg, Basel-Stadt, St. Gallen, Aargau, Neuchâtel and Geneva. The cantons of Fribourg, Basel-Stadt, St. Gallen, Neuchâtel and Geneva also enabled around 103,000 eligible voters in Switzerland to use the e-voting system. Another objective is E-ID – the introduction of the first official formof electronic identification. Parliament will discuss a draft bill over the course of the year. The Federal Act on Electronic Identifica- tion Services (E-ID Act) provides for a division of responsibilities be- tween the state and market players. Federal government will per- form the role of a regulatory and certification authority ensuring an optimal legal and organisational framework. E-ID will allow us- ers to conveniently register with various electronic service provid- ers at any time enabling them to obtain, for example, an extract from the judicial record or access to the online counter for the Swiss Abroad easily and securely. This will eliminate the need for expen- sive paper ID documents and the management of usernames and passwords for individual websites. E-ID will be a basic service on the basis of which other digital services can be developed and will therefore act as a catalyst on the road to comprehensive digital e-government. Federal government, the cantons and the communes have drawn up a joint strategy for the implementation of e-government. It ismade up of 12 strategic projects and services. The E-Government Switzer- land Steering Committeewill define the projects and services for four years, review them annually and amend them if required. A frame- work agreement on e-government cooperation will govern the joint approach of the three levels of government in implementing the strat- egy. Federal government and the cantonswill eachmeet half the costs of the initiative. Important notice Notify your local Swiss embassy or consulate about your email address(es) and mobile phone number(s) and/or changes to these and register at the online counter (link on the FDFA homepage www.eda.admin.ch) or via www.swissabroad.ch to select your preferred format for receiving “Swiss Review” and other publications. Please contact your Swiss representation if you have trouble registering. Both the latest issue of “Swiss Review” and previous issues can be read and/or printed out at any time at www.revue.ch. “Swiss Review” (or “Gazzetta Svizzera” in Italy) is delivered free of charge either as a print edition or electronically (by email) to the homes of all Swiss Abroad and/or made available via an iOS/Android app. ✆ from Switzerland +41 800 24 7 365 ✆ from abroad +41 58 465 33 33 E-Mail: helpline@eda.admin.ch Skype: helpline-eda www.eda.admin.ch/reisehinweise ✆ from Switzerland +41 800 24 7 365 ✆ from abroad +41 58 465 33 33 www.twitter.com/travel_edadfae Online registration for Swiss citizens travelling abroad www.fdfa.admin.ch/itineris App available for free for iOS and Android Travel advice Plan well. Travel well.