Abuse in cyber space threatens Switzerland
The threat situation in Switzerland has changed, in some cases markedly, in recent years. This is the conclusion of the Federal Council's new report on Switzerland's security policy. The paper also outlines the strategy Switzerland intends to use to counter the current threats and dangers.
The Federal Council has approved the draft for a new Report on Switzerland's security policy and opened a consultation procedure. The report sets out the basic guidelines for Swiss security policy in the coming years. The Federal Council publishes such reports at regular intervals; the last report dates from 2010.
The new security policy report contains a detailed presentation of Switzerland's security policy environment. It analyzes global security policy trends and the threats and dangers relevant to Switzerland. The report concludes that there have been marked changes in the threat situation in recent years. This applies in particular to the sustained deterioration in relations between the West and Russia in the wake of the Ukraine crisis, the intensification of the threat posed by Islamist terrorism, and the extent of illegal activities and abuses in cyber space. According to the report, a particular challenge for Switzerland's security lies in the combination and concatenation of various threats and dangers.
The second part of the report outlines the basic orientation of Switzerland's security policy strategy. This can be defined by three core concepts: self-reliance, cooperation and engagement. The report shows how and in what combination these strategy elements are used to counter threats and dangers as effectively and efficiently as possible. Based on the strategy, the report goes on to show what concrete contributions the individual security policy instruments make to preventing, defending against and managing the threats and dangers and how the instruments interact. The report concludes that the orientation of the security policy instruments is fundamentally correct and that the adjustments and implementation work, some of which are currently underway, are moving in the right direction.
The final part of the report describes security policy management at the federal and cantonal levels and their cooperation within the Security Network. Reference is made to the evaluation of the Swiss Security Network, which has been established and is being further developed, and to the first Security Network exercise, which provided important insights for national crisis management.
As with the last report, the present draft report was again drafted within the framework of a broad-based working group. In addition to all departments and the Federal Chancellery, the cantons were also involved in the work from the outset. Following consultation, the report is expected to be adopted by the Federal Council in early summer 2016 and then submitted to parliament.
Press release Federal Department of Defense, Civil Protection and Sport
