After international pressure: the Federal Council must close the holes in the sanctions

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The council accepted the postulate by 135 votes to 50, thus opposing a motion to reject it by members of the SVP faction. The Federal Council had requested acceptance. The initiative comes from the Foreign Policy Committee of the National Council (APK-NR).

According to the text of the postulate, the Federal Council should also list in the report what additional measures could potentially be used to improve the enforcement and control of the sanctions. In addition, the state government must show from which countries new or still Russian raw materials are traded.

Almost as important as the financial sector

The APK-NR argued that before Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, 50 to 60 percent of Russian oil and 75 percent of Russia’s coal exports were traded through Switzerland. According to recent calculations, the raw materials sector in Switzerland accounts for between 8 and 9 percent of gross domestic product and is now almost as important as the financial sector.

These figures show that Switzerland plays a crucial role in the commodity trade. This means both a significant reputational risk and a special responsibility for control, especially when it comes to compliance with sanctions against Russia.

SVP wants “back to neutrality”

When enforcing sanctions in the raw materials sector, the federal government currently mainly relies on the self-regulation of the affected companies. This self-regulation has attracted criticism – also at international level. In order to respond to this, it must be investigated whether this criticism is justified.

On behalf of the APK-NR minority, SVP national councilor Roger Köppel (58) said that with initiatives like this, Switzerland is effectively becoming a handmaiden of foreign interests. This must therefore be rejected. Switzerland must get out of sanctions and return to neutrality. (SDA)

Source:Blick