Switzerland

[CH] Fighting Cybercrime

IRIS 2002-3:1/24

Oliver Sidler

Medialex

On 1 January 2003, the Swiss Bundesrat (Council of Ministers) will, in partnership with the cantons, set up a national coordination body for the fight against cybercrime. The new body, with responsibility for monitoring the Internet, will constitute a single point of contact for its foreign counterparts.

The fact that the Internet is so confusing often creates complex new problems when it comes to criminal prosecution, which in Switzerland is meant to be the responsibility of the cantons. International co-operation and national coordination must therefore be improved and extended. The new coordination body will be responsible for identi-fying punishable abuses of the Internet, coordinating investigations and preparing national reports on cybercrime.