How to proceed with the E-ID?
The Federal Council wants to move forward and quickly create the possibility for a state digital identity. Before it determines the parameters for the future E-ID, the general public should be involved in the discussion. To this end, the Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP) has drawn up an outline.
Following the "no" vote in the referendum of 7 March 2021 on the Federal Act on Electronic Identification Services, the Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP), together with other federal agencies, was tasked with initiating work on the creation of a state electronic identity (E-ID). As a first step, the FDJP has drawn up an outline, with the involvement of the scientific community and the cantons, as a basis for discussion. In addition to technical variants, it also describes in particular how they can be embedded in the economic and social environment and examines various possible applications of a state E-ID.
Broad public discussion
The draft with three technical solution approaches is now to be widely discussed so that in the course of the discussions it can crystallise what benefits and added value a state e-ID should bring and what content-related and legal requirements it must fulfil for this, as the Federal Council announced on 2 September. The public consultation will conclude on 14 October 2021 with a public discussion at a conference.
In addition to the public discussion, specialist bodies should also be able to express their views. The result of the public discussion that has now been initiated will serve as the basis for the Federal Council's decision on the direction it intends to take by the end of 2021. The consultation on a new e-ID law is expected to be opened in mid-2022.
The documents relating to the public hearing can be downloaded from the website of the Federal Office of Justice:
www.bj.admin.ch/bj/de/home/staat/gesetzgebung/staatliche-e-id.html
