Press releases, 15.01.2020

At its meeting on Friday 15 January 2020, the Federal Council adopted a draft federal act on the processing of personal data by the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). This legislation fulfils the requirements of the Federal Act of 19 June 1992 on Data Protection while also taking account of more recent developments in internal organisation, technology and society.

The Federal Council instructed the FDFA to draft an amendment to the Federal Act of 24 March 2000 on the Processing of Personal Data within the FDFA which would also cover Swiss citizens abroad and the processing of their personal data required by the FDFA when providing assistance abroad (consular services, consular assistance, etc.).

It emerged that the law would have to be completely overhauled if the FDFA were to be able to process the data needed to perform all its tasks. The concerns expressed during the consultation process were also taken into account.

The draft federal act is a total revision of the text currently in force but is not intended to result in any changes to the FDFA's activities. Instead, the goal is to produce a modern legislative tool that can address recent developments, particularly in terms of technology, and to facilitate as much as possible any legislative adjustments that may subsequently become necessary.


Dispatch (This text is provisional. Only the version published in the Federal Gazette is binding)(de)(pdf, 823kb)
Report on the results of the consultation (the version published on the website of the Federal Chancellery is binding)(de)(pdf, 658kb)
Draft federal act (This text is provisional. Only the version published in the Federal Gazette is binding)(de)(pdf, 445kb)


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Last update 19.07.2023

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