Summary

The Federal Council calls for careful coordination in networking databases between the federal government and cantons. For authorities to mutually access data holdings, the legal foundations must be compatible. The Federal Department of Justice and Police will examine by the end of 2026 whether existing data protection guidelines should be supplemented accordingly.

Persons

  • Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP)

Topics

  • Data protection and data security
  • Federal coordination
  • Legal harmonization
  • Administrative digitalization

Clarus Lead

The Federal Council has recognized that networking databases between federal levels cannot function without legal preparation. For authorities at the federal and cantonal levels, compatible legislation is a prerequisite for legal database access. This realization has immediate consequences: The FDJP must clarify by the end of 2026 how existing data protection guidelines need to be adapted.

Detailed Summary

The shared use of databases by the federal government and cantons requires that the underlying legal foundations are coordinated with each other. Without this compatibility, mutual data access violates applicable data protection regulations. The Federal Council therefore emphasizes the necessity of coordinated legislative practice across federal boundaries.

The FDJP has been tasked with evaluating by the end of 2026 whether the data protection legislation guideline should be supplemented with concrete guidance on database networking. This examination aims to provide authorities with practical guidance and to ensure that future data integration projects are legally sound.

Key Statements

  • Legal compatibility is a prerequisite for lawful database networking between the federal government and cantons
  • The Federal Council demands careful coordination in legislation
  • The FDJP will examine by the end of 2026 whether data protection guidelines need to be supplemented
  • The goal is the creation of practical guidance tools for federal administrations

Critical Questions

  1. Evidence: Which specific database projects have failed so far due to lack of legal compatibility, and what empirical basis underlies the demand for harmonization?

  2. Conflicts of Interest: Which cantons and federal agencies have an interest in expanded data access, and could different federal interests complicate coordination?

  3. Causality: Is lack of legal compatibility actually the main obstacle to database networking, or do technical and organizational factors play an equally important role?

  4. Feasibility: How binding will the revised guideline be, and what sanctions threaten authorities that do not comply with it?

  5. Data Protection: What additional protective mechanisms will be implemented to minimize risks of misuse in expanded data access?

Source Directory

Primary Source: Federal Council Press Release – Networking of Federal and Cantonal Databases Requires Careful Coordination – https://www.news.admin.ch/de/newnsb/nEPyv6ixoBcSl5A3qkE0B

Verification Status: ✓ March 6, 2026

This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial Responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-Check: March 6, 2026