Terms of Use for the retrieval of natural hazard data from GIN
Status as at 24 September 2026
The Terms of Use set out below apply to any use of data on the Joint Information Platform for Natural Hazards (GIN), regardless of whether the data is retrieved via the application or the application programming interface (API).
The following Terms of Use apply to anyone who accesses the Joint Information Platform on Natural Hazards (GIN) via the website or retrieves content from it via the Application Programming Interface (API):
1. Scope of application
These Terms of Use govern the provision and use of all data in GIN. This includes measured and forecast data provided by the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), MeteoSwiss (MCH), the Swiss Avalanche Research Institute (SLF), the Swiss Seismological Service (SED), third parties and the cantons. Where the provisions of these terms of use relate to measured and forecast data, the term ‘data’ is used.
2. Terms of Use
The Joint Information Platform on Natural Hazards (GIN) is a platform for experts in the field of natural hazards (see Art. 3 para. 1 let. a. No 2 CiPrO (de, fr, it)). GIN is accessible to experts in the field of natural hazards who are responsible for the system of civil protection. This includes the emergency services, the civil protection organisation, the Armed Forces, federal and cantonal specialist teams, natural hazard advisers in the communes, regional command centres, mountain railways, researchers and private engineering firms (acting as natural hazard advisers on behalf of a public authority), insofar as they are responsible for protecting the public.
The content provided by GIN may only be used to protect the public from the effects of extreme weather events or other natural hazards.
3. Provision of services
The GIN Secretariat shall provide users with data to the extent agreed in accordance with these Terms of Use.
4. Data transfer
It is expressly prohibited to directly forward or distribute the data to third parties with no authorised access (cf. Section 2), or to use it for commercial purposes.
The source must be always cited whenever the data is reproduced or distributed.
One of the following references must be used:
- Gemeinsame Informationsplattform Naturgefahren (GIN)
- Plate-forme commune d’information sur les dangers naturels (GIN)
- Piattaforma informativa comune sui pericoli naturali (GIN)
- Plattafurma cuminaivla dals privels da la natira (GIN)
- Joint Information Platform for Natural Hazards (GIN)
5. Interfaces and timeframes
The GIN Secretariat shall make the data available on its website and via an API. It shall endeavour to make the data available as quickly as possible but cannot guarantee either availability or an on-call service.
6. API access
Access to the data on the server is granted via a personal service recipient account set up by the GIN Secretariat.
The user undertakes to ensure that no unauthorised person can access the account. The login details may only be used by the user themselves or by internal staff members in their organisation, provided that such use complies with Section 2 of this Terms of Use.. Login details may not be passed on to third parties.
An exception to this may be made if the user commissions an external company to process, present, download or use the data in order to utilise the resulting findings for the users' own purposes. In this case, the GIN Secretariat must be provided with the contact details of the third-party company. The user shall ensure that the third-party company does not use the account login details for any purpose other than that permitted to the user themselves, or to any greater extent.
The API is updated by gin.admin.ch at regular intervals. As a result, the service recipient may need to update their own website to use a new version of the API. The GIN Secretariat provides information on changes and updates on its website.
7. Data accuracy/completeness
The GIN Secretariat does not guarantee the accuracy of the data it provides. As the measurement data provided are provisional, they may diverge from the final data.
The GIN Secretariat does not guarantee and declines all liability for the completeness of the data. It accepts no liability for any loss of the data transmitted.
8. Scope of use
The user may use the data for non-commercial purposes. The source of the data must be stated on their website or product.
In all cases, the Federal Administration’s disclaimer and the provision set out in Section 2 apply.
9. API rate limiting
The endpoint is protected by rate limiting applied at the network edge. Requests are counted per client IP address over a five-minute rolling window.
Applies to: Each client-IP
Limit (requests per 5 minutes): 2,000
Requests that exceed a limit are rejected and receive an HTTP status code 403 until the number of requests falls again below the threshold. The limits are designed for normal interactive and script-driven use; clients that comply with the rules rarely reach them.
10. Liability
The Federal Administration, as the operator of GIN (and its data providers: FOEN, MeteoSwiss, SLF, SED and other third parties), accepts no liability for the correctness, accuracy, up-to-dateness, reliability or completeness of the published data. The federal authorities expressly reserve the right to change, delete or temporarily refrain from publishing content in whole or in part at any time and without prior notice. GIN accepts no warranty or liability whatsoever, to the extent permitted by law.
The operators shall not be held liable for any material or non-material damage resulting from accessing GIN, from the use or non-use of the published information, from misuse of the connection or from technical faults, or from access by unauthorised persons. GIN accepts no liability whatsoever in connection with the use of third-party websites accessed via links.
11. Termination
If there is any indication that these provisions have been breached, the operators are entitled to block access with immediate effect.
The user may stop downloading data at any time; in such a case, it must inform the GIN Secretariat in writing.
The GIN Secretariat reserves the right to restrict or block the user’s access to the API interface without giving reasons. If it does so, it must inform the user in writing.
12. Requirement for written form
Any amendment or addition to these Terms of Use. must be made in writing. This also applies to this clause. Verbal agreements are not permitted.
13. Nullity or partial invalidity
If any provision of these Terms of Use. is void or becomes invalid, this shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions or of the Terms of Use. as a whole.
Any resulting omissions shall be resolved by mutual agreement; however, such resolution must be in accordance with the letter and spirit of these Terms of Use.
14. Priority of any divergent written agreements
Any written agreements that differ from these Terms of Use. shall take precedence.
Should a contractual relationship arise between the user and the GIN operators, such a relationship shall be governed exclusively by Swiss law.
15. Amendments to the Terms of Use
The GIN Secretariat reserves the right to amend the Terms of Use. at any time by publishing a new version on this website. The new Terms of Use. come into effect from the date they are published.
16. Resolution of disputes
Any disagreements and disputes shall be resolved through negotiation and in good faith.