1 Grundstrategie des Bundesrates zum Schutz Kritischer Infrastrukturen vom 18. Mai 2009 (Basic Strategy for the Protection of Critical Infrastructure of 18 May 2009), download at <http://www.bevoelkerungsschutz.admin.ch/internet/bs/de/home/themen/ski/publikationen_ski.html> (last accessed on 28 May 2015); Nationale Strategie zum Schutz Kritischer Infrastrukturen vom 27. Juni 2012 (National Strategy for the Protection of Critical Infrastructure of 27 June 2012), BBl 2012, p. 7715 et sqq.

2 See Renn, Ortwin, Risk Governance. Coping with Uncertainty in a Complex World (London: Earthscan 2008), p. 1.Google Scholar

3 See for a discussion in the context of risk governance, van Asselt, Marjolein B.A., Vos, Ellen and Rooijackers, Bram, “Science, Knowledge and Uncertainty in EU Risk Regulation”, in Everson, Michelle and Vos, Ellen (eds), Uncertain Risks Regulated (Abingdon: Routledge-Cavendish 2009), 359 et sqq., at p. 360 et sqq.Google Scholar

4 OECD, “Emerging Risks in the 21st Century: An OECD International Futures Project”, September 2003, available on the Internet at < http://www.oecd.org/futures/globalprospects/19134071.pdf > (last accessed on 28 May 2015), at p. 6 for a broad definition of risk sectors. van Asselt, Marjolein B.A. and Renn, Ortwin, “Risk Governance”, 14 Journal of Risk Research (2011), pp. 431 et sqq., at p. 436 et sqq CrossRefGoogle Scholar. describe systemic risks as follows: “The term ‘systemic’ describes the extent to which a risk is embedded in the larger contexts of societal processes. (…) Systemic risks are not confined to national borders or a single sector and do not fit the linear, mono-causal model of risk. They are complex (multi-causal) and surrounded by uncertainty and/or ambiguity. (…) In very general terms, risk refers to the possibility of damage…. or to tolerated or unintended consequences of purposeful human actions which may occur that violate something that humans value. (…) Those assessing or appraising risks pertaining to future events or consequences are necessarily confronted with uncertainty.”

5 For a discussion of definitions although focused on financial markets, see Schwarcz, Steven L., “Systemic Risk”, 97 Georgetown Law Journal (2008), pp. 193 et sqq., at p. 196 et sqq. Google Scholar For a development of the notion, see OECD, “Emerging Risks in the 21st Century”supra, note 4.

6 Originally developed for public officials, the problem is pervasive. Seminal: Thompson, Dennis F., “Moral Responsibility of Public Officials: The Problem of Many Hands”, 74 American Political Science Review (1980), pp. 905 et sqq. CrossRefGoogle Scholar

7 Thompson, Dennis F., “Responsibility for Failures of Government: The Problem of Many Hands”, 44 American Journal of Public Administration (2014), pp. 259 et sqq. CrossRefGoogle Scholar

8 Hood, Christopher, The Blame Game. Spin, Bureaucracy, and Self-Preservation in Government (Princeton/Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2011).Google Scholar