Private security services provided abroad in 2020
In 2020, the Confederation received 495 notifications from companies wishing to provide private security services abroad from Switzerland. This is the result of the fifth activity report on the implementation of the Federal Act on Private Security Services Provided Abroad.
If a company wants to offer private security services from Switzerland, it must notify the competent federal authority in advance. This is required by the Federal Act on Private Security Services Provided Abroad (BPS), which has been in force since September 1, 2015. The Export Control and Private Security Services Section (SEPS) of the State Secretariat of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) is responsible for implementing the law.
In 2020 SEPS received 495 notifications. They mainly concerned four groups of activities: Personal protection and guarding of goods and properties in a complex environment, law enforcement services, private intelligence activities and support to armed or security forces. About half of the reported activities were carried out in North Africa, the Middle East, and Europe and Central Asia, SEPS writes in its fifth activity report.
SEPS initiated three investigation procedures in 2020. In one case, the planned activity was prohibited. In a second case, the notification was withdrawn by the company. A third case was still pending at the end of the reporting period. Two bans were issued for activities reported in 2019.
Private security services that could lead to direct participation in hostilities or serious human rights violations were not identified in 2020. Such activities are prohibited under the BPS.
Source: DFA
