From Switzerland were exported in the past year, military goods worth a total of 509,9 million Swiss francs to 14 percent more than in the previous year. Thus, the recent Trend continues, according to today’s Figures published by the state Secretariat for economic Affairs (Seco): in 2017, were again delivered more weapons, after the exports had in the meantime gone back.

The current increase of 63.1 million Swiss francs compared to the previous year is due according to the Seco, in particular, that since the beginning of 2018, the statistics on the basis of a new database to be created, which consideration of the repair, transport, and temporary exports.

in the long run, the export volume increased, but independently of it. In 2017, Switzerland exported almost twice as much war material as in the year 2000. Now, exports have again the same level as before the peak years 2008-2012 reached.

in Addition, the Seco 2018 has rejected only 12 applications for Exports and 2279 applications to the value of almost 2 billion Swiss francs, granted. Compared with the previous year, an increase of 1.34 billion – so three and a half Times as much. The export of the authorized war materials is carried out until 2019.

Controversial customers

The arms were exported in 2018 in 64 countries. Three-quarters went to European countries. In 2017, it was still half. Have removed the exports to America from 14.3 to 12.5 percent, according to Africa, from 7.3 to 0.2 percent and, above all, to Asia, from 28.5 to 11.6 percent.

The largest buyer was Germany with deliveries to the value of 118 million Swiss francs, followed by Denmark, the USA, Romania and Italy. Pakistan is on rank 13, Saudi Arabia, on rank 30.

The example of Saudi Arabia shows how sensitive arms exports. In 2018, the country received the Swiss war material to the value of 2.2 million Swiss francs. It was Were in the category of “weapons of any caliber,” as well as “fire control equipment”. 2009 and 2016, the Federal Council had tightened the practice in relation to Saudi Arabia. Have been approved but are still spare parts and ammunition for air defence systems, in which there is no reason to believe that they are used in the Yemen war. Last October, the Federal Council announced that no spare parts would be longer running.

it can be seen Also arms exports to other countries involved in conflicts, are critical. Pakistan is once again on a confrontation with India, but on the 13. Rank of the largest customers. Switzerland has provided since the turn of the Millennium in all continents weapons. Some countries are selectively supplied, while others received war material.

among the larger transactions, the export of armoured wheeled vehicles to Denmark (59 million) and to Romania (22.5 million) as well as exports of the Swiss armed forces in connection with the Liquidation of tanks in Germany (9 million) and missiles in the USA (8 million) in the year 2018.

a large part of the exports is ammunition, and ammunition components. 34 percent of exports, according to the Seco in this category. 24.5 percent were armored vehicles, 10.4 per cent of components for combat aircraft, 10.1 percent, weapons of any caliber, and 6.8 percent of the fire control equipment. The remaining percentages are distributed in eight other categories.

For about six years, the Federal government can’t stipulate that the licence for the export of war material to the right to check the compliance with the re-export Declaration. 2018 Seco in seven countries made use of it. Controls carried out in Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Lebanon, Lithuania, Pakistan, and South Africa.

The efficacy is however controversial. The Swiss Federal audit office (sfao) considered these controls as very effective, as they wrote in a report last autumn. Generally, they criticized the rules were liberally interpreted. The Seco dismissed the criticism.

Politically, the claim is up for debate, that in the future, the Parliament, and not the Federal Council determines the eligibility criteria for weapons exports. The national Council had voted. In the Council of States a no. Pending a people’s initiative, which calls for a tightening of the rules. On a planned easing of the Federal Council had omitted to criticism.

* the Material of sda (editor-in-Tamedia)

Created: 26.02.2019, 11:54 PM