Further information
On this page, you will find the links and FAQs relating to the ICT division.
FAQ
The National Economic Supply (NES) works together with the private sector and public authorities to prepare measures that help ensure the availability of critical information and communication services, as well as the essential goods and services that depend on them, even during severe supply shortages.
The ICT division focuses on three key areas:
- Networks & ICT Infrastructures
- Supply Chains
- Payment TransactionsThe National Economic Supply (NES) works closely with the private sector and public authorities to prepare measures aimed at ensuring the availability of critical information and communication services, even during severe supply shortages or major disruptions.
Its activities focus on three key areas:
- Networks & ICT Infrastructures: Preparation of measures to safeguard telecommunications and ICT infrastructures, particularly in the event of electricity shortages or other large-scale disruptions.
- Supply Chains: Analysis of critical dependencies and digital supply chains to identify risks at an early stage and develop appropriate preparedness measures.
- Payment Transactions: Preparation of measures to strengthen the resilience of cash and electronic payment systems, ensuring that the population can continue to pay for essential goods and services even during crisis situations.
The NES works closely with the affected industries, the responsible federal authorities, and other relevant stakeholders in carrying out these activities.Under the National Economic Supply Act (NESA), the National Economic Supply is responsible for taking preparedness measures to prevent severe supply shortages and to help ensure the supply of essential goods and services in Switzerland.
As many essential goods and services today depend on functioning information and communication technologies, the National Economic Supply analyses critical digital supply chains and their dependencies. These include, in particular, communication networks, data centres, cloud services, as well as other digital infrastructures and services.
The objective is to identify risks and vulnerabilities at an early stage and, together with the private sector and public authorities, prepare appropriate precautionary measures to help ensure the continuity of supply.
A functioning payment system is an essential prerequisite for ensuring the population's access to essential goods and services.
For this reason, the National Economic Supply works closely with the Swiss National Bank, banks, payment service providers, retailers, and other stakeholders to strengthen the resilience of both cash-based and electronic payment systems, including during crisis situations.
Together with the relevant stakeholders in the payment ecosystem, the National Economic Supply develops measures to improve the functionality of electronic payment systems, even in the event of disruptions to communication networks or energy supply.
One example is the introduction of offline card payments. These enable electronic payments at physical points of sale to be processed even when the connection to the payment network is temporarily unavailable.
Further information can be found in the media release of 24 August 2026.
The introduction of offline card payments does not replace cash. Rather, it is a complementary measure designed to increase the resilience of the overall payment system.
If a payment terminal no longer has a power supply and is not equipped with a battery, offline card payments will not function either.
In emergency situations such as a large-scale power outage, cash is very important as it may allow people to continue making purchases, provided that shops remain open.
For this reason, the National Economic Supply recommends keeping cash in small denominations and coins as part of your personal emergency supplies.
A useful guideline is to keep enough cash at home in small banknotes and coins to pay for one week's grocery shopping and a full tank of fuel.
No.
Responsibility for protection against cyberattacks and for national cybersecurity lies with other federal authorities, in particular the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).
The National Economic Supply (NES) focuses on preparing measures to ensure the supply of critical information and communication services in severe shortage situations, regardless of what caused a disruption.
The supply of essential goods and services is primarily the responsibility of the private sector. The National Economic Supply intervenes on a subsidiary basis when the private sector is no longer able, or is only partially able, to fulfil its supply function due to a severe shortage situation.
For this reason, the NES prepares its measures in cooperation with the affected industries and companies. This makes it possible to identify risks at an early stage and to implement effective, proportionate, and practical measures in the event of a crisis.