- The Federal Council should be able to deviate from the approval criteria for exports of war material in exceptional cases.
- After the Council of States, the responsible National Council commission also wants to adapt the War Materials Act.
- The Security Policy Commission of the National Council (SIK-N) asked the large chamber to accept a corresponding motion from the Council of States by a vote of 14 to 9.
The motion wants the Federal Council to be able to deviate from the approval criteria for foreign transactions when it comes to war material if there are extraordinary circumstances. He should also be able to do this if the protection of the country’s foreign or security policy interests requires it.
In the eyes of the majority, the motion does not mean a free pass for war material exports. The majority also claims that certain tightening measures that were decisive at the time for the withdrawal of the popular initiative “Against arms exports to civil war countries (corrective initiative)” remain in place.
Parliament passed the stricter rules for arms exports from Switzerland in 2021 as an indirect counter-proposal to the correction initiative. The initiative was then withdrawn.
No war material for Ukraine even with changes?
The minority calls it “undemocratic” to now reverse the achievement of the popular initiative with a motion. And even with the adjustment of the War Materials Act, neutral Switzerland cannot supply Ukraine with any war material. The minority argues that this would violate the principle of equal treatment.
The minority also considers the request to be dishonest. Because it helps the arms industry so that it can ultimately supply war material more easily again.
The Federal Council also supported the motion. This comes from the Security Policy Commission of the Council of States (SIK-S). The Council of States had already accepted it in the autumn session. If the National Council also agrees, the Federal Council can tackle the change in the law.