Switzerland to Adopt Risk-Based Data Access Logging, Saving Millions
The Swiss Federal Council is set to approve a new risk-based approach to data access news, replacing the current blanket logging system. The Federal IT Steering Unit estimated the change will save 165 million Swiss francs in one-time costs and 32 million annually. The Swiss Federal Audit Office (SFAO) pushed for this shift, arguing that the existing news was too costly and ineffective. Under the new approach, only access to particularly sensitive news, such as religious beliefs, health status, and criminal records, will be logged. This change aims to reduce administrative costs and simplify the process. The Federal Office of Justice supported the move, citing the need for cooperation with the EU in criminal matters and the importance of uniform security standards. However, some parts of the federal administration continue to enforce logging of every interaction with all personal news due to longstanding security, auditing, or regulatory practices. This is despite the recent significant restriction of the mandatory logging obligation, influenced by delays or uneven implementation of new legal regulations like the NIS2 directive, which is expected to come fully into force in late 2025 or early 2026. Business sector critics have dismissed the logging system as unnecessary European bureaucracy driven by excessive caution. They warned of excessive bureaucracy, insufficient storage, and little benefit in preventing data theft. The federal administration holds vast amounts of personal news on nearly everyone living in Switzerland, making the shift in policy significant.
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