Coordination of security policy instruments
SEPOS assumes a coordinating role in national security policy: it ensures that Switzerland’s security policy instruments are aligned and implemented in a coherent manner. To this end it makes use of various committees. For example, SEPOS heads the Core Group Security and prepares the deliberations of the Federal Council’s Security Committee, which is chaired by the head of the DDPS. It also chairs thematic interdepartmental working groups, for example on influence activities and disinformation.
SEPOS supports other federal offices in matters relating to security policy and ensures that security policy considerations are taken into account. These include the Defence Group’s Armed Forces Dispatch and affairs relating to foreign and economic policy. In some cases, SEPOS leads projects that involve various federal offices and, where applicable, the cantons. One example of this is the further development of the compulsory service system. There is also close cooperation with the Federal Intelligence Service. SEPOS reviews the intelligence service’s situation assessments and uses them to identify policy options for the security policy leadership. This particularly contributes to the security policy foresight.
In addition, SEPOS brings security policy perspectives to other policy areas. It works with the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs on war materiel export requests. It maintains regular contact with the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation regarding the protection of research and key technologies.