Ukraine: Committee on Switzerland’s Accession to the Oligarch Task Force

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Switzerland should join the international repo task force (for Russian elites, proxies and oligarchs). This is what the Foreign Policy Committee of the National Council wants with a narrow majority. The demand was submitted by Franziska Ryser, member of the Green National Council.

Switzerland, which controls Russian assets and is the main location for Russian commodity trade, has a major responsibility for the effectiveness of measures that should lead to a quick end to the Russian war against Ukraine, Ryser justified the motion. The National Council will discuss the motion in the special session in April. If he agrees, the Council of States still has to decide.

In the eyes of its supporters, Switzerland must do more to ensure that sanctions against Russia are fully implemented. Switzerland’s participation in the task force would improve information sharing and coordination with other states that have imposed sanctions on Russia.

And what about the good offices?

The negative minority believes that the current cooperation with the task force functions well enough. If Switzerland participates in the task force, there is a risk that Switzerland will lose its independence in the field of sanctions policy. It is also not sufficiently clear to the minority what consequences possible participation in the task force would have for the good offices and data protection in connection with the sanctions and what legal consequences this would have.

The Federal Council also rejects the motion. Switzerland is ready to work more closely with its international partners in the implementation of the sanctions and, where appropriate, to cooperate more closely, he wrote in his statement. Switzerland is already in contact with several members of the repo task force.

Criticism from abroad

Nearly a year ago, Switzerland turned down an invitation from the major industrialized countries (G7) to join the task force. Switzerland currently sees no need to formally join, the Ministry of Economy, Education and Research (WBF) wrote on its website at the time.

Diplomatic representatives of France, Italy, Germany, the US, Canada, Japan and the United Kingdom had earlier written a letter calling on Switzerland to be more involved in the search for oligarchic funds. They accused the federal government of not blocking enough funds. Scott Miller, the US ambassador to Switzerland, also criticized the harsh cooperation with Switzerland on sanctions in the “Neue Zürcher Zeitung”. Switzerland has rejected these accusations.

(SDA)

Source:Blick