The obligation to broadcast certain television programme services (must-carry channels) in the analogue services on cable networks is being phased out. Because the vast majority of the Swiss population use digital services, the broadcasting obligation will be limited to digital services from 2015. The amended Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) Ordinance enters into force on 1 June 2013.

Following the decisions taken by the states participating in the triple conference on chemicals and hazardous waste in Geneva, which is due to conclude shortly, five additional chemicals will be subject to international regulation. On 10 May 2013, the ministerial representatives, including Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard, adopted a declaration highlighting the important contribution made by the management of hazardous substances to sustainable development and the protection of health and the environment.

The Confederation is taking a new step in relation to managing the new top-level domain name .swiss. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the corporation responsible for managing domain names worldwide, has deemed that the Swiss candidature meets the requirements. The implementation phase can now begin. The first .swiss domain names could be registered by the autumn of 2014.

In 2012, end electricity consumption in Switzerland rose by 0.6% to 59.0 billion kilowatt hours (kWh); domestic consumption (including losses occurring in transmission and distribution) was 63.4 billion kWh. Production at Switzerland's power plants rose by 8.2% to 68.0 billion kWh, or 65.6 billion kWh after deduction of electricity consumed by storage pumps. Overall this resulted in an electricity export surplus of 2.2 billion kWh compared to an import surplus of 2.6 billion kWh in 2011.

The three conventions that govern chemicals and hazardous waste at international level will convene in Geneva from 28 April to 10 May 2013. In continuation of their synergies process, they will convene jointly for two days with a view to enhancing the effectiveness of their activities on the ground. Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard will participate in the ministerial segment of the conference to be held on 9 and 10 May. The Federal Council approved the mandate of the Swiss delegation to the conference on 10 April 2013.

The Swiss fishing advisory office, FIBER, run jointly by Eawag, the Federal Office for the Environment and the Swiss Fishing Association has been secured for a further three years. The office is designed to promote sustainable fishing, as well as an understanding of healthy water bodies, and the preservation of spawning grounds. The new di-rector of FIBER is fish biologist Bänz Lundsgaard-Hansen.

The Federal Council has appointed the members of the Federal Media Commission. 13 representatives from various areas of the Swiss media sector will take a seat on the Commission. In the process, the Federal Council ensured appropriate gender and language region representation. The Media Commission is chaired by Professor Otfried Jarren of Zurich University, appointed by the Federal Council in November 2012. The new Media Commission members will take up their duties in summer 2013.

The ombudscom Foundation will continue to operate the official dispute resolution service for the telecommunications industry prescribed in the Telecommunications Act. The Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) has concluded a new contract with the Foundation extending over a period of five years, from 1 July 2013 until 30 June 2018.

In order to determine the requirements for additional frequencies for digital broadcasting of radio stations in DAB+ format, the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) is launching a survey of demand. It is aimed at companies who would like to construct and operate language-regional, regional, or local DAB+ networks in Switzerland.

The Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) is awarding the licence for a local radio station in south-east Switzerland to Südostschweiz Radio/TV AG and its station Radio Grischa. In accordance with a ruling of the Federal Administrative Court in December 2009, DETEC clarified whether licensing Radio Grischa would lead to a threat to freedom of expression and to the diversity of offerings in south-eastern Switzerland. After a thorough review, DETEC has concluded that this is not the case. The Department therefore confirms its 2008 licensing decision in favour of Radio Grischa.