Digital Sovereignty - FAQ

Digital sovereignty means that Switzerland can independently determine how its digital resources, data, and technologies are used and governed. It is important for ensuring security, competitiveness, and independence.

Dependencies exist primarily in Cloud services, AI platforms, chip technologies, and geopolitically sensitive supply chains.

Yes. Transparent risk analyses, multi-Cloud strategies, open standards, and local data storage help reduce dependencies. It is not about full autonomy, but about consciously managing dependencies.

Responsibility is shared by the federal government, cantons, companies, and organizations –especially in critical infrastructure.

Companies risk becoming dependent on individual technology providers, losing control over data, facing increased security risks, and limiting their ability to innovate and make independent decisions.

Yes. Digital sovereignty does not mean giving up Cloud services, but rather the deliberate and controlled use of Cloud and platform solutions while addressing data protection, security, and vendor lock-in risks.

Clear governance models, data strategies, investments in skills, and the integration of digital sovereignty into procurement, IT architecture, and security are required.

Through guiding principles such as “Data Ownership First,” sovereign architecture standards, risk management, vendor assessments, and alignment with corporate strategy.

The Federal Council recommends greater transparency, standards, secure data spaces, building in-house capacities, and reducing critical dependencies. Organizations implement this through governance, data strategies, and sovereign technologies.

The Revised Swiss Data Protection Act forms a central foundation for digital sovereignty in Switzerland. It defines clear requirements for data processing, transparency, and accountability –and makes a sovereign IT strategy indispensable.

Sectors such as public administration, finance, energy, and healthcare require particularly strict data control, auditability, and secure, often locally anchored IT infrastructures.

It ensures that AI systems are operated in a traceable, secure, and data-protection-compliant manner—and that data, models, and value creation remain in Switzerland.

Through sovereign Cloud models (e.g., hosting in Switzerland), zero-trust security, data classification, open standards, auditability, and governable AI platforms.