The Swiss War Materiel Act forbids the export of Swiss armaments to countries embroiled in civil war or in armed conflict with another state.
“This position is based…also on the values held by Switzerland, its neutrality, tradition of humanitarian aid, commitment to international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions, and its international practice of mediation in the service of peace,” the government stated on Friday.
Is your place of origin, your Heimatort, important to you?
Every Swiss citizen has a Heimatort, a place of origin, but many have never visited theirs. What’s your relationship with your Heimatort? What does it mean to you?
An atomic ‘tick-tock’ with Swiss technology heads to space to test the Einstein effect
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On Monday, the European Space Agency (ESA) launched the ACES set of atomic clocks to measure the effect of gravity on the passage of time.
Swiss Guard swearing-in ceremony postponed following Pope Francis death
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The swearing-in ceremony of the Pontifical Swiss Guard, which usually takes place on May 6 each year, has been postponed to a date to be announced next autumn.
Swiss medical device maker Ypsomed to sell diabetes business
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Bern-based injection device manufacturer Ypsomed announced on Tuesday that it was selling its diabetes-related activities.
Award-winning Swiss author and scholar Peter von Matt dies aged 87
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The Alemannic writer and former professor of German literature Peter von Matt died on Monday in Zurich at the age of 87, following a long illness.
Swiss foreign minister spoke with Iranian counterpart about US dialogue
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Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis has spoken with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi about the current dialogue between the US and Iran.
Swiss foreign minister appeals for cohesion and dialogue at Expo in Japan
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Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis called for cohesion and dialogue at the opening of the Swiss National Day at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, on Tuesday.
Switzerland postpones launch of emergency number for domestic violence victims
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The launch of the “142” emergency number, which aims to help victims of domestic violence in Switzerland, has been postponed to May 2026.
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Parliament insists on status quo on arms exports
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The Swiss parliament has failed in its attempt to force the government to ease restrictions on the re-export of war materiel.
Swiss president appears sceptical about Leopard tank sale
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Alain Berset has expressed scepticism about requests from Germany and the Czech Republic to Switzerland to buy back old Leopard 2 tanks.
Re-export ban ‘beginning of end’ for Swiss defence firms
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Germany’s decision to restart the production of ammunition for Gepard tanks in its own country is having a major impact on the Swiss arms industry.
Switzerland rejects Spanish request for arms re-export to Ukraine
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Switzerland has rejected Spain's request for the re-export of Swiss war materiel to Ukraine, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs says.
Switzerland’s war materiel exports reach record level
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Swiss companies exported tanks, weapons, and other war materiel worth CHF955 million ($1.02 billion) to 60 countries in 2022.
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.