Do., März 7th 2024
Switzerland’s National Council backs expansive data processing by FOCBS for criminal prosecution, amidst debates on privacy and security.
The Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS) should be able to process data on people’s religious, political and ideological views as well as health data for the purposes of criminal prosecution, according to the National Council.
A motion to delete the passage did not find a majority in the large chamber on Wednesday.
The National Council essentially followed the Federal Council’s proposals when discussing the part of the Customs Act relating to data protection.
Balthasar Glättli (Greens/ZH) appealed in vain to the Council not to turn the employees of the BAZG into “wimp hats”. In order to stop potentially dangerous people at the border, it was enough to put them on the wanted list.
Leo Müller (center/LU) disagreed that one of the tasks of the BAZG is to confiscate propaganda material. In order to fulfill this task, it must be able to collect the relevant data.
The SVP and FDP parliamentary groups also did not want to restrict the processing of data.
Other proposals from the ranks of the left to restrict the processing of sensitive data, risk analyses or profiling were also rejected. Olivier Feller (FDP/VD) said on behalf of the committee that it was also important that the FOCA be able to fulfill tasks that it had taken on with the cantons.
The SVP wanted to prevent the transfer of personal data to other countries and the EU border protection agency Frontex, but did not find a majority for this.
©Keystone/SDA
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