Data Protection in Switzerland

Data Protection in Switzerland
Data Protection Authority:	EDÖB/PFPDT/IFPDT
National Implementation Law (Original):	https://www.kmu.admin.ch/kmu/de/home/fakten-trends/digitalisierung/datenschutz/neues-datenschutzgesetz-rev-dsg.html
English Translation of National Implementation Law:	https://www.kmu.admin.ch/kmu/en/home/facts-and-trends/digitization/data-protection/new-federal-act-on-data-protection-nfadp.html
Official Language(s):	German, French, Italian, Ladin
National Legislation Database(s):	n/a
English Legislation Database(s):	n/a
National Decision Database(s):	n/a

Legislation

History

The Swiss Federal Data Protection Act, originally dated 19 June 1992, has undergone a complete revision, which has been passed on 25 September 2020 and is in force since 1 September 2023.

With its revision, Switzerland now complies with the revised Council of Europe Convention 108. The provisions provisions are similar to those of the GDPR, although with a few differences, for example relating to legal grounds and sanctions.

Apart from the Federal Data Protection Act, other laws such as the Swiss Unfair Competition Act (UCA), the Swiss Telecommunications Act and the Swiss Penal Code contain further provisions governing data protection in Switzerland.

National e-Privacy law

Switzerland has implemented, its UCA, a provision that is similar to Article 13 Privacy and Electronic Communications Directive.

Unsolicited mass direct marketing e-mails are also regulated through the UCA.

Data Protection Authority

The Swiss Federal Data Protection Authority (EDÖB, Eidgenössischen Datenschutz- und Öffentlichkeitsbeauftragten in German, or PFPDT, Préposé fédéral à la protection des données et à la transparence in French, or IFPDT, Incaricato federale della protezione dei dati e della trasparenza in Italian) is the data protection authority for Switzerland.

→ Profile: EDÖB/PFPDT/IFPDT (Switzerland)