The Digital Switzerland Strategy 2025

Strategies and Action Plans

Author: Federal Council

On 13 December, the Federal Council adopted the updated Digital Switzerland Strategy for 2025 and selected new focus themes, thereby setting its current priorities.

The Digital Switzerland Strategy sets the guidelines for Switzerland’s digital transformation (see Ordinance on the Coordination of the Digital Transformation and ICT Steering in the Federal Administration). It is binding for the Federal Administration and serves as a guide for all other stakeholders involved in digitalisation.

Vision

Switzerland consistently prioritises digital offerings for the benefit of everyone, regardless of gender, age or origin (digital first). It makes targeted use of the opportunities offered by sustainable digital transformation so that everyone benefits in the long run. Switzerland is one of the most digitally competitive and innovative countries in Europe.

Purpose

The aim is for the population as a whole to benefit from a digital transformation that is responsible and sustainable (ecologically, economically and socially). This is being driven forward jointly by the authorities at all federal levels, as well as by stakeholders from civil society, business, academia and politics. Gender equality is also taken into account.

The Federal Council identifies two or three focus themes to prioritise each year as a way of launching digital transformation topics. This focus is complemented by the action plan, with a webseite that provides an overview of activities in the area of digital transformation for the general public. In contrast to the annually changing focus themes, the vision and domains remain stable over several years.

The Digital Switzerland Strategy provides a overarching framework for the Digital Federal Administration Strategy, the Swiss eGovernment Strategy and various other sectoral strategies. It also helps Switzerland to achieve its climate and environmental goals and the sustainable development goals set out in the United Nations 2030 Agenda. Digitalisation remains the responsibility of all the specialist organisations which have the lead in implementing the measures.

Focus themes

The focus themes form the starting point for new measures and Federal Council mandates, insofar as they fall under a federal remit. They are the subject of the meetings of the Digital Switzerland Advisory Committee, chaired by a member of the Federal Council,  in which experts discuss the topic in depth. The Federal Council determines the new focus themes annually. The lead departments are responsible for their implementation.

Artificial intelligence

 Electronics, Hardware, Hook, Anchor, Ammunition, Grenade, Weapon

Artificial intelligence: Legal situation and the use of AI in the Federal Administration

Implementation of the approach chosen by the Federal Council for regulating artificial intelligence (AI). This approach ensures that basic rights, democracy and the rule of law are protected, while at the same time promoting Switzerland’s innovativeness and competitiveness. The aim is to create legal certainty. Efforts to promote the use of AI in the Federal Administration are also underway.

Lead: DETEC (OFCOM) in cooperation with the FDJP (Federal office of justice), the FDFA and the Federal Chancellery.

Responsible

Federal Office of Communications

Information security and cyber security

 Armor, Shield, Smoke Pipe

Strengthening information security and cyber security for the whole of Switzerland

Information security will be strengthened in order to effectively protect Switzerland and its population. The focus is on raising awareness, applying protective measures in everyday life and ensuring that the Administration is ready to act in the event of an emergency or disaster. These security measures will also benefit cantonal and communal administrations. Furthermore, the new structures for information security and cyber security are to be established.

Lead: DDPS (National Cyber Security Centre and the State Secretariat for Security Policy)

Responsible

National Cyber Security Centre

Open Source

 Electronics, Hardware, Bulldozer, machine

Promoting the use of Open Source Software in the Federal Administration

The Federal Administration will actively publish and promote the use of Open Source Software (OSS) in order to increase transparency, security and innovation in IT systems and to strengthen the digital sovereignty of the Administration. At the same time, the exchange of knowledge and cooperation with the national and international open source community will be intensified, enabling Switzerland to play a pioneering role and strengthen its digital sovereignty.

Lead: FCh (Digital Transformation and ICT Steering Sector).

Responsible

Digital Transformation and ICT Steering

Domains with indicators

The Digital Switzerland Strategy is structured around five long-term domains. These domains are based on the EU’s Digital Compass. Focus themes and measures are each assigned to a domain. This structure is intended to create a clear overview of activities that are important for a digital Switzerland. The Federal Council measures progress in each domain according to two indicators. The ten indicators were defined at the outset. They are reviewed on an ongoing basis and adjusted if necessary. Where possible, the values are compared against international benchmarks.

Education and skills

Bildung Kompetenzen

People, businesses and public authorities have sufficient skills to make the most of new technologies and are able to evaluate them critically.

Indicators

Share of the population with advanced digital skills42 %2023
Share of ICT specialists on the Swiss labour market (excl. apprentices)5.7 % (4.7 % male, 0.9 % female)2023
Erweiterte digitale Kompetenzen der Bevölkerung im internationalen Vergleich
Anteil der IKT-Spezialistinnen und -Spezialisten in der Schweiz, nach Geschlecht

Contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Goal 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

Security and trust

Sicherheit Vertrauen

People in Switzerland can move around safely in the digital environment; privacy is protected.

Indicators

Threat situation in cyberspace: number of cyber incidents reported to the National Cyber Security Centre493802023
Cybercrime, identification of crimes with a cyber element43839 cases2023
Anzahl der dem Nationalen Zentrum für Cybersicherheit (NCSC) gemeldeten Cyber-Vorfälle
Digitale Kriminalität: Anzahl Straftaten nach Tatvorgehen

Contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Goal 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries
Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Goal 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

Framework conditions

Rahmenbedingungen

Businesses and society can rely on a reliable and advantageous framework for the digital environment.

Indicators

Digital competitiveness, Switzerland’s place in the IMD World Digital Competitiveness RankingRank 22024
Share of new firms in the ICT sector as a percentage of the total number of start-ups5.5%2024
Position der Schweiz in der Weltrangliste der digitalen Wettbewerbsfähigkeit im internationalen Vergleich
Anteile neuer Firmen im IKT-Sektor an der Gesamtzahl Neugründungen in der Schweiz

Contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Goal 1: End poverty in all its forms everywhere
Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
Goal 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

Infrastructure

Infrastruktur

Public authorities promote and operate reliable and resilient physical and digital infrastructure.

Indicators

Percentage of Swiss territory with 5G coverage92 %2022
Availability of Open Government Data, number of data sets on opendata.swiss1181210.2024
Versorgungsgrad der 5G in der Schweiz am 31.12., Entwicklung
Anzahl der auf opendata.swiss verfügbaren Datensätze nach Thema

Contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries
Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Goal 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

Digital public services

Digitale Behoerdenleistungen

Public authorities offer their services digitally as standard (digital first); they are user oriented and barrier free.

Indicators

Availability of online services for the public79 %2022
Digital public services for businesses73 %2023
Zugang der Nutzerinnen und Nutzer zu Online-Diensten der Behörden
Verfügbarkeit der digitalen öffentlichen Dienste für Unternehmen im internationalen Vergleich

Contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries
Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Goal 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

Action plan

The action plan forms part of the Digital Switzerland Strategy. It defines the relevant measures and provides an overview of the status of their implementation. Measures are specific, time-limited programmes, projects or initiatives taken by internal or external stakeholders. They make a significant contribution to Switzerland’s digital transformation. Their progress is continuously updated by the lead stakeholders and published as an overview on www.digital.swiss.Action plan

Responsibilities and implementation

The Federal Chancellery’s Digital Transformation and ICT Steering Sector (DTI) is responsible for the ongoing development, coordination, communication and monitoring of the Digital Switzerland strategy. It reports annually to the Federal Council on the progress of the strategy and draws up proposals for new focus themes ­­in close cooperation with the departments. The respective lead stakeholders are responsible for implementing the individual measures and provide the DTI Sector with regular progress reports.

Monitoring report

Further information