Improving civil protection staffing: Federal Council brings legislation and implementing provisions into force from 2027

· Bundesklar Redaktion

To improve civil protection staffing levels, Parliament adopted the partial revision of the Federal Act on Civil Protection and Civil Defence (CPDA) on 21 March 2025. In particular, it stipulates that persons liable for civilian service will be required to perform part of their civilian service in a civil protection organisation. Implementing this revision requires amendments to several ordinances. These changes are largely organisational and administrative in nature and primarily concern the cantons. At its meeting on 21 October 2026, the Federal Council approved these amendments to the ordinances and set 1 January 2027 as the date on which they and the partially revised CPDA enter into force.

Source note

The title, lead and passages below are translations of original passages from the Federal Council’s press release of 21 October 2026. The assessments and conditional staffing forecast they contain are statements made by that source.

Civil protection staffing levels have been declining for years. The target of 72'000 civil protection personnel has not been met for years: as at 1 January 2025, actual staffing stood at just 57'000 civil protection personnel. If the current trend of around 4'500 new recruits per year continues, total staffing will fall to around 50'000 civil protection personnel by 2030. Sufficient civil protection staffing is essential for dealing with disasters, emergencies and armed conflict. Only with sufficient personnel can the cantons and communes adequately protect their populations.

To improve civil protection staffing levels, Parliament adopted a partial revision of the CPDA in March 2025. To implement this revision, the Federal Council has therefore made the necessary amendments to the Civil Protection Ordinance, the Civilian Service Ordinance, the Ordinance on Data Processing in the Automated Civilian Service Information System, the Ordinance on Military and Other Information Systems in the DDPS and the Ordinance on the Personal Equipment of Armed Forces Personnel.

Civilian service supports civil protection

With these amendments, the Federal Council is implementing, in particular, the measure provided for in the CPDA under which persons liable for civilian service are required to serve in civil protection if a staffing shortfall cannot be offset between cantons. Service in a civil protection organisation is performed as a civilian service assignment within the scope of their civilian service obligation. In connection with these assignments, civil protection organisations are regarded as civilian service host institutions.

Source

Federal Council: «Verbesserung der Zivilschutzbestände: Bundesrat setzt Gesetz und die Ausführungsbestimmungen per 2027 in Kraft», 21 October 2026. https://www.admin.ch/de/newnsb/qen4OeBmUdK4

Improving civil protection staffing: Federal Council brings legislation and implementing provisions into force from 2027

Source note

Civilian service supports civil protection

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