New key projects for federal digital sovereignty

On October 1, 2026, the Chancellor designated the digital sovereignty workstation and EasyGov 2.0 as key projects; NEPRO leaves the category. Currently, 22 key projects account for more than half of civilian IT spending.
Context
TL;DR
- Two new projects become federal key projects.
- Chancellor's decision: October 1, 2026.
- EasyGov 2.0 lays the groundwork for the platform's stable development.
- NEPRO leaves the key projects.
Key facts
- Decision → October 1, 2026
- Publication → October 6, 2026
- Location → Bern
- New projects → workstation based on digital sovereignty; EasyGov 2.0
- Program excluded → NEPRO
- Current key projects → 22
- Spending share → more than half of the ongoing civilian IT portfolio
On October 1, 2026, the Federal Chancellor decided, after consulting the Conference of Secretaries General, to manage the program for a workstation based on digital sovereignty and the EasyGov 2.0 project as key projects. The announcement was published on October 6, 2026, in Bern.
Initiatives concerned
The workstation program was launched at the beginning of September by the Federal Chancellery. Its stated aim is to reduce dependence on foreign providers. The project concerns all departments and is of great importance for strengthening the digital sovereignty of the Federal Administration.
EasyGov 2.0 is the project of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs. The source attributes great strategic importance to it for the economy and the Confederation. Companies use EasyGov to easily access the services offered by numerous administrative units in all departments. The project creates the technical and organizational foundations needed for the platform's further stable development.
The change also concerns NEPRO, swisstopo's new production systems program. Following the scaling-down it underwent in March 2026 and the marked improvement in the risk situation, NEPRO will no longer be managed as a key project.
The announcement recalls the scope of the category. These are projects or programs of the Federal Administration in the area of digital transformation and IT that, because of their scope, strategic importance, complexity or associated risks, are of particular significance. For this reason, they require intensified management, coordination and oversight.
The Swiss Federal Audit Office conducts systematic audits of key projects, while responsibility for individual projects remains with the competent departments and administrative units. In accordance with the Digitalization Ordinance, it is the Federal Chancellor, after consulting the Conference of Secretaries General, who determines which initiatives fall within the category. There are currently 22 key projects, and their total volume exceeds half of the expenditure of the entire portfolio of ongoing IT projects in the civilian sector.
Operational details
What changes operationally
The transition to key-project status brings the two new projects under the intensified management, coordination and oversight regime provided for this category. The Swiss Federal Audit Office conducts systematic reviews. Responsibility, however, remains with the competent departments and administrative units: the classification strengthens oversight without replacing the project owners.
For a company using EasyGov, the focus is the platform’s technical and organizational framework. The source says that EasyGov provides access to the services of numerous administrative units across all departments and that the project is preparing further stable development. No new functions, new access methods, costs or deadlines for companies are announced. The governance decision must therefore be distinguished from any potential changes in use, which the communiqué does not describe.
| Initiative | Practical point indicated | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Workstation | Reduction of dependence on foreign suppliers | All departments |
| EasyGov 2.0 | Technical and organizational foundations for stable development | Companies and administrative units of all departments |
| NEPRO | No longer managed as a key project | swisstopo program |
The portfolio figure shows the scale of the decision: there are currently 22 key projects, and their volume exceeds half of the spending on ongoing civilian IT projects. However, the source does not assign an individual budget to the two new projects and does not allow costs or savings to be inferred.
The NEPRO case also shows that the classification can be updated. The program will no longer be treated as a key project after the scaling-back in March 2026 and the improvement in the risk situation. In the broader economic context, those monitoring aziende che assumono can complement this reading with information on the business market.
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Key points
Four-step verification
1. Start with actual usage. If a company uses EasyGov, identify the services it accesses through the platform and the administrative units involved. The source refers to numerous units in all departments, but does not list the individual services: the review must therefore be limited to what the company actually uses.
2. Separate access from the project. Note that the decision concerns the management of EasyGov 2.0 as a key project and that the project creates the technical and organizational foundations for stable development. The press release does not indicate a new registration, an additional document or a usage deadline to be applied to companies.
3. For a unit of the Federal Administration, verify which department or administrative unit remains responsible for the individual project. The classification does not transfer this responsibility: the text leaves it to the competent authorities, alongside intensified oversight and systematic checks.
4. Reconstruct the sequence of dates: launch of the program for the digital workstation at the beginning of September, the Chancellor's decision on October 1, publication on October 6, and NEPRO's downsizing in March 2026. This chronology distinguishes decisions already announced from any subsequent developments.
For residents who do not manage business services, the press release does not describe an individual action, a form or a deadline. The operational information therefore consists in not attributing to the announcement any functions or procedures not indicated. Those following the market can also consult the annunci di lavoro. To complete the reading with a tool dedicated to personal finance, use the calcolatore stipendio.
Source: admin.ch
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the two new key projects designated on October 1, 2026?
- The digital sovereignty-based workplace and SECO’s EasyGov 2.0 project have been included in the category of key projects. This classification entails an intensification of management, coordination and oversight by the Swiss Federal Audit Office, while operational responsibility remains assigned to the competent departments and administrative units.
- What happens to the NEPRO program after the decision?
- Following the downsizing it underwent in March 2026 and the marked improvement in the risk situation, NEPRO will no longer be managed as a key project. It is therefore leaving the regime of intensified controls, while remaining under the responsibility of swisstopo, without the additional oversight provided for key projects.
- What is the weight of the key projects in the Confederation's civilian IT portfolio?
- There are currently 22 key projects, and their combined volume exceeds half of the expenditure of the entire portfolio of ongoing IT projects in the civilian sector. This figure was stated in the chancellor’s press release published on 6 October 2026 in Bern.
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