Digital is increasingly the medium of choice for Switzerland’s public services. This is good news for people in Switzerland and for the Swiss Abroad in particular. This year, the Confederation, cantons, cities and municipalities began implementing their Digital Public Services Switzerland (DPSS) joint strategy for 2024 to 2027, which lays out the roadmap for driving the digital transformation of public services within the federal system.
Peppino Giarritta, who has been entrusted by the Confederation and cantons with delivering DPSS, tells us about the milestones that await.
According to the strategy, fully digital public services at all levels of government are to be brought under one integrated system, enabling effective, transparent and secure digital interaction with public services for all users. But what exactly is your vision?
I want people in Switzerland to benefit from end-to-end digital services, which means using online government services without necessarily noticing which government level – government, canton or municipality – you are dealing with. Government services should be tailored to your personal circumstances and requirements, making life easier for you. And they should be easy to access and navigate wherever you are. Who precisely is responsible for the content need not be the primary concern. At the same time, transparency and trust matter. It should always be clear and obvious who is in charge and where you stand in the process. That creates trust.
DPSS was launched to strengthen cooperation between the Confederation, cantons and municipalities. What have you been able to achieve in the last two years?
On 11 January 2024, we launched our first service as part of a DPSS project. AGOV, the authentication service of the Swiss authorities, is being piloted by the cantons of Zurich and Appenzell-Ausserrhoden as a nationwide public service login. It will soon be available in other cantons. The idea behind having a single login for government services is to simplify the user experience.
DPSS now has an additional source of funding to expand other government services and the underpinning framework, with the Confederation and cantons having agreed to underwrite much-needed digital infrastructure and basic services from 2024 to 2027. One of the key projects of the DPSS agenda is to develop the necessary security infrastructure for the government e-ID scheme. Then we have our efforts to enable e-voting. Pilots resumed in some cantons in 2023. These were a success.
The Digital Public Services Switzerland joint strategy for 2024 to 2027 is another milestone that I wish to mention. It was approved at the end of 2023 by the Federal Council, the cantons, the Association of Swiss Communes, and the Swiss Association of Cities. The strategy came into force on 1 January 2024, providing authorities at all federal levels with a roadmap to drive the development of digital public services in a coordinated, targeted manner.
What progress can we expect in the next four years with regard to digital public services in Switzerland?
We want to introduce e-ID. Furthermore, we want to enable interoperability between government portals, i.e. ensure that they are interlinked and easily accessible. The digital identity e-ID will enable secure access to these portals in future. Making services easier to locate is another objective. Users should be able to find the online services that they need without having to search for too long. We are also laying the groundwork for secure, value-added data usage across all levels of government. Our public service culture must and will change into a connected infrastructure that offers accessibility and proximity by putting user requirements front and centre.
Which prerequisites need to be fulfilled to facilitate access for the Swiss Abroad to government services?
Effective cooperation and data sharing within the federal system also benefit the Swiss Abroad and are important prerequisites for end-to-end digital government services. Interfaces to Switzerland’s consular services are necessary for us to grow our online services for the Swiss Abroad. By enabling the “Fifth Switzerland” to use government services online, we can facilitate the link between expats and their local consulates and home municipalities.
Dr Peppino Giarritta is Digital Public Services Officer for the Confederation and Cantons. Giaritta, who has a doctorate in physics and a degree in industrial engineering, is responsible for the digital transformation of public services at the various federal levels. Digital Public Services Switzerland (DPSS) is a coordinating organisation that started work in 2022. Its objective is to ensure effective strategic management and coordination of digital transformation activities at federal, cantonal and municipal level.
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