Interpellation Fiala (19.3693): Digital transformation, a major challenge)
Submitted text
The digital transformation is probably the greatest challenge of the 21st century for politics, business and society. Shaping the transition from analog to digital in such a way that the population benefits should be an overriding goal. The Advisory Board for Digital Transformation addresses these issues. The following questions therefore arise:
1. who is now a member of the Federal Council’s Advisory Council on Digitization?
2. according to which criteria are the members selected?
3. how regularly does the advisory board for digital transformation meet?
4. what objectives are defined and in what timeframe are they to be achieved?
5 What additional measures is the Federal Council taking to identify the need for action in the digital transformation?
6. are the interests of Swiss civil society and the economy represented in a balanced way on the advisory board?
Justification
In order to maintain and further strengthen Switzerland’s competitiveness, priority must be given to the successful digital transformation of our economy with the involvement of the relevant stakeholders.
Statement of the Federal Council from 14.8.19
The Federal Council’s “Digital Switzerland” strategy of September 5, 2018, pursues the overarching goal of making the best possible use of the opportunities presented by the digital transformation for society and the economy for the benefit of all. In doing so, the Federal Council assumes that these transformation processes must be networked and shaped in dialog with all stakeholder groups. The “Digital Transformation EAER/UVEK” advisory board was set up to facilitate an exchange between politics and administration with business, science and society on topics that particularly affect the two departments mentioned.
1. the “Digital Transformation WBF/UVEK” advisory board is composed of Representatives from business, science and society together. The members appointed ad personam were communicated in a media release from the EAER and DETEC on the occasion of the first meeting of the panel on June 12, 2017 (see https://www.admin.ch/gov/de/start/dokumentation/medienmitteilungen.msg-id-67022.html). Depending on the topic to be discussed, other experts and stakeholders take part in the meetings.
2. the people participating in the advisory board meetings must be capable of dialog on current developments and challenges in the area of digitization. Depending on the topic of discussion (see below for question 4), the respective experts are expected to have expertise in the relevant field.
3. the “Digital Transformation WBF/UVEK” advisory board meets 3 times per year. Until End 2019 will be a total of 7 sessions have taken place.
The Advisory Council serves to exchange information on current developments and approaches to solutions for upcoming challenges in the area of digitization. This also enables the departments and administrative units concerned to discuss the course set and activities undertaken by the Confederation with stakeholders. To structure this exchange, the following Topics set: Digital education, e‑ID, blockchain, cybersecurity, e‑health, data and data use, artificial intelligence, and smart cities.. No specific goals beyond the exchange were set.
The “Digital Switzerland” strategy will be further developed on a regular basis in consultation with all stakeholder groups. At the biennial Digital Switzerland conference, an initial assessment is made of the implementation of the strategy and any new need for action is discussed. This will then be fleshed out by means of surveys and workshops, among other things, until the updated strategy is adopted. The next “Digital Switzerland” conference will be held in Basel on September 2, 2019.
6 The above-mentioned members of DETEC and the EAER will take stock in the third quarter of 2019 according to the focal points of the meetings already defined in advance for 2019 and decide whether and in what composition the Digital Transformation Advisory Council should be continued in the future. This will also address the question of whether the interests of Swiss civil society and the business community are represented in a balanced manner on the advisory board.