Swiss Review 4/2018

Swiss Review / July 2018 / No.4 27 Federal referendums Voting proposals are determined by the Federal Council at least four months before the voting date. The follow- ing proposals will be put to the vote on 23 September 2018: ■ ■ Federal Decree of 13March 2018 on Cycle Paths, Foot- paths and Hiking Trails (direct counter-proposal to the Popular Initiative “To encourage the use of cycle paths, footpaths and hiking trails (Bike Initiative)” ■ ■ Federal Popular Initiative of 26 November 2015 “For healthy, environmentally-friendly food fairly pro- duced (Fair Food Initiative)” ■ ■ Federal Popular Initiative of 30 March 2016 “For food sovereignty. Agriculture affects us all” Further voting date in 2018: 25 November All information on the proposals (voting pamphlets, com- mittees, recommendations by Parliament and the Fed- eral Council, electronic voting, etc.) can be found at www.admin.ch/votes. Popular initiatives The following federal popular initiatives had been launched at the time of going to press (deadline for the collection of signatures in brackets): ■ ■ For autonomy in family and business affairs (Child and Adult Protection Initiative) (15.11.2019) ■ ■ Appoint federal judges by drawing lots (Judiciary In- itiative) (15.11.2019) The list of pending popular initiatives can be found in German at www.bk.admin.ch > Politische Rechte > Volk- sinititativen > Hängige Volksinitativen highlights the importance that Swit- zerland attaches to coming to terms with this issue. Finally, the new law also governs the archiving and inspection of re- cords and provides an advisory and support service for victims and others affected through the cantonal points of contact. Organisations representing the victims and persons affected will also be given the opportunity to sub- mit proposals for self-help projects. The victims and persons affected are also to be given the chance to develop personal or professional prospects and to exchange experiences. The 15th and final meeting of the round table took place on 8 February 2018. The deadline for solidarity pay- ment applications has now also ex- pired. The Federal Office of Justice has received 9,018 applications in total. Some 313 of these applications from41 countries – around 3.5% – were sub- mitted by people residing abroad. A large number of themwere submitted to the specialist department from the neighbouring countries of France and Germany. But many also came from Canada, Thailand and Italy. The appli- cationsmust be dealt withwithin four years of the law entering into force, whichmeans by the end ofMarch 2021. Persons residing abroad had to personally request a life certificate froma Swiss representation for the ap- plication. Individual solutions were found in cooperation between the Swiss representation and the Federal Office of Justice for people who would have had to travel extremely long dis- tances or who are in poor health. Further information can be ob- tained from the Compulsory Social Measures Unit at the Federal Office of Justice (+41 58 462 42 84 or sekretar- iat@fuersorgerischezwangsmassnah- men.ch) . Further information is also available online: www.bj.admin.ch > Society > Compulsory social measures and placements. The report and min- utes of the round table can be viewed in German, French or Italian at www. fszm.ch > Runder Tisch. Consular services anywhere, conveniently on your mobile devices Rome (2018) www.fdfa.admin.ch 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 desk (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. Responsible for the FDFA official communications: Simone Flubacher, Relations with the Swiss Abroad Effingerstrasse 27, 3003 Berne, Switzerland Tel. +41 800 24 7 365 or +41 58 465 33 33 www.eda.admin.ch, email: helpline@eda.admin.ch