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An order aimed at improving the federal administration’s crisis management will come into force. The cantons will be particularly involved.
The federal administration will be better prepared for crisis situations. The Federal Council approved on Friday an ordinance entering into force on February 1, aimed at creating the necessary conditions for rapid and systematic intervention by supradepartmental crisis staffs.
The federal administration’s crisis management is now structured around three pillars, the Federal Council announced on Friday. The first provides that the political-strategic crisis staff is competent to prepare political and strategic decisions.
In principle, this is composed of the secretaries general of the departments concerned, the two vice-chancellors and members of the Federal Finance Administration, the Federal Office of Justice, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs and of the State Secretariat for Security Policy. The cantons play an advisory role if they are concerned.
The operational crisis staff, which consists of members of the committed crisis staffs and other relevant organizational units within the various departments, coordinates measures to provide the political-strategic staff with information necessary for decision-making and taking action.
Representatives of the Federal Office of Justice and the cantons may also be involved at operational level if they are concerned.
Finally, the basic organization of crisis management plays an important role in preparing for and controlling crises. It is made up of employees from the Federal Chancellery and the Federal Office for Civil Protection. If necessary, it can be supplemented by specialists from other departments.
A global approach
The systematic integration of cantons, scientific circles and other important stakeholders into crisis headquarters is an essential element of the new strategy. This is to encourage a holistic approach to crisis management, which also ensures fair representation of all relevant interest groups.
The new ordinance lays the legal foundations for the engagement of auxiliary personnel when administrative units experience significant, exceptional and time-limited additional needs.
The project was approved by a large majority of the parties consulted, underlines the Federal Council. The involvement of the cantons in the organization of the crisis was notably regulated in a more restrictive manner, at their request.
The order does not concern the organization of crisis management for specific events falling within the competence of existing staffs. It also does not apply to structures intended to guarantee the continuity of the functioning of the federal administration or to the Delegation of the Federal Council for Security or to the Security Group of the Confederation. (ats)
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