Controversial alternative to the password jungle

Implementation of the scheme would see the public and private sector work together. The government would check and register people’s identity and identifying characteristics. Private companies would issue e-IDs, as would cantonal and municipal authorities. Identity providers (IdP) would be responsible for cards, USB sticks and e-ID applications. An independent panel of experts, the Federal E-ID Committee (Eidcom), would approve and monitor IdPs.

Better solutions from the private sector?

By allocating responsibilities in this way, the Federal Council and a majority in parliament hope to ensure that e-services are workable and consumer-friendly. They argue that the private sector has greater customer proximity and can respond more flexibly to advances in technology. Karin Keller-Sutter: “Experiences in other countries show that exclusively government-driven solutions are less effective and successful, because the private sector chooses not to use them.”

This form of cooperation is not without its critics. It is the reason why Digital Society Switzerland, the campaign group Campax, the signature-gathering platform WeCollect, and civil society organisation PublicBeta have forced a referendum. They say that the government is failing in one of its key responsibilities and “bowing to the interests of the private sector”. Big banks, insurers, and firms with government links would be “acting like a passport office”. The initiators of the referendum believe that granting the private sector access to sensitive data is risky. In their opinion, companies primarily look out for their own interests and cannot be trusted. The government would have relatively little power to control them. Opponents of the new legislation also have doubts as to how voluntary the scheme would be. They fear that online services could pressure people into using e-ID. The SP and the Greens have already represented this view in parliament. It is a view which is shared by the Pirate Party, Switzerland’s public-sector trade union VPOD/SSP, senior citizens’ organisations, and other bodies.

Switzerland’s top data-protection official supports the E-ID Act

Supporters of the new legislation dismiss these security concerns, insisting that the government will not lose control of the people’s data. They say that the E-ID Act goes above and beyond current provisions. For example, personal information cannot be used for other purposes or forwarded without prior consent. Selling such information would be against the law.

Monopoly?

SwissSign Group is part of a joint venture involving Swiss Post, SBB, Swisscom, Six and a number of major banks and insurance companies. It would be keen on issuing its own e-ID – but sceptics such as Anita Fetz (SP/Basel-Stadt) are critical. In a parliamentary debate, the former member of the Council of States said that a private monopoly is the last thing that Switzerland needs. Justice Minister Karin Keller-Sutter dismissed these comments as “illogical”. “If that is a monopoly, what would you call the government?” A number of providers from the private sector competing to develop their own applications is exactly what we want, she said.

E-ID is a cornerstone of the digital transformation, say supporters of the E-ID Act. Switzerland cannot afford to miss the digital boat and not make up ground on other countries. Switzerland is indeed lagging behind comparable countries in e-government. It risks falling even further behind, warn experts. This is Switzerland’s very last chance to keep control of its citizens’ identification data, declared Ruedi Noser (FDP/Zurich) in the smaller chamber, adding that any delay would play into the hands of Apple, Google, Facebook and Amazon.

Eveline Rutz is a freelance journalist based in Winterthur. She mainly writes about political, social and scientific issues.

On 10 July 2020, the Council of the Swiss Abroad (CSA), referred to as the “Parliament of the Fifth Switzerland”, decided to back the new legislation and vote yes in the referendum. However, with 37 to 26 in favour (and 18 abstentions), the decision was far from unanimous.
 

How much money would E-ID cost the government?

Implementing e-ID would involve a one-off outlay of 7.9 million francs. This money would fund development of the system as well as the establishment of a federal service in charge of transmitting identity and verification information. According to the Federal Office of Justice (FOJ), operating the system is likely to cost around 3.5 million francs a year. However, this would be covered by administrative fees and would therefore have no effect on the government’s balance sheet.