for the application of international law in cyberspace. The final item on this to-do list is working
out how to better involve non-state actors in international agreements.
In the area of soft law, Switzerland must ensure
that it has the necessary expertise. Know-how in
international dispute resolution should be expanded. Given the fragmented nature of the international trade system, Switzerland will become a
party in disputes more frequently, with a growing risk that countervailing measures will be taken
against it or that it will be taken to court. Switzerland will thus need to assert its interests with
equivalent means.
Protect the rule of law, human
rights and democracy
The rule of law, human rights and democracy are
three cornerstones of the current international
order, enabling individual freedom and allowing people to live their lives in the way that they
choose. But there is no guarantee that they will
remain in place by 2028 given the number of
countries now leaning towards the principle of
non-interference in internal affairs. Swiss efforts
in this area will remain important, but will become
more challenging owing to the increase in conflicting objectives.
35
2028 Foreign Policy Vision
Swiss efforts must not have the effect of pitting
human rights against economic interests. Switzerland has developed a number of promising
approaches aimed at working with the private
sector to develop standards on corporate respect
for and promotion of human rights, based on the
principle of self-responsibility. This partnership
approach to human rights policy has great potential. Companies have a fundamental interest in
respecting human rights. At the same time, they
can help to improve the human rights situation
through their local engagement.
With the international understanding of human
rights also showing signs of fragmentation, Switzerland should work to promote human rights
dialogue between countries. Finally, the same
observation applies to human rights as to other
areas: new fields of activity throw up new challenges, such as protection against identity theft or
cyberbullying, but they also bring opportunities. It
is therefore time to think seriously about the issue
of digital human rights.
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