E-government offers easy digital interaction with public services

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.

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.