Recommendations for a future-oriented security policy: Study commission presents its report

In July 2023, the DDPS set up the Security Policy Study Commission. Under the chairmanship of Valentin Vogt, the former President of the Swiss Confederation, the commission was tasked with setting out how a sustainable and broad-based security policy for Switzerland can be shaped. This is to be understood as a security policy that is appropriate to the threats and dangers, appropriate to the resources, broadly supported at home and respected abroad.

The commission was broadly composed with representatives from politics, business, science, administration, cantons, different generations and parts of the country. The diversity of these opinions is reflected in the report by showing the majority and minority ratios within the commission for each of the more than 100 recommendations in seven areas.

The most important recommendations of the study commission

The Commission is aware of a massive deterioration in the situation in Europe, which is characterized by power politics, increasingly destabilized crisis regions and, not least, the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. In view of this intensified security situation, the Commission has issued recommendations on neutrality, international cooperation, the orientation of security policy instruments and armaments policy, among other things.

• Alignment of security policy instruments: The coordination of security policy instruments requires a comprehensive defense concept that clarifies the tasks and interplay of military and civilian defense, promotes the resilience of the economy and administration and raises public awareness of the deteriorating security situation. This also includes combating disinformation and influence. The army should be geared towards its defense capability. The Commission recommends by a large majority that the defense budget be increased to 1 % of GDP by 2030. Foreign trade and economic policy should be seen as part of the country's economic supply. A majority also recommends merging civilian service and civil defense, which is currently being developed as an option as part of the in-depth work on the compulsory service system. In addition, the focus of civil protection on the heightened security situation and its role in the event of war is recommended.
• Armaments policy: Switzerland's armaments industry should be strengthened and more closely aligned with the threat situation. To this end, innovation should be promoted and access to EU and NATO cooperation projects ensured. A majority would like to lift the re-export ban for countries in accordance with Annex 2 of the Ordinance on War Material. The Commission unanimously sees energy as part of the country's economic supply, with an overwhelming majority also supporting the bilateral agreements with the EU.
• International cooperation: Cooperation with NATO and the EU should be further deepened with the aim of a joint defense capability and developed into actual defense cooperation. To this end, the expectations of Switzerland's own defense capability as well as the reciprocal services that Switzerland could provide to a cooperation partner should be defined. In this context, military peacebuilding should also be expanded. In addition, cooperation should be expanded not only at the military level, but also at the diplomatic level, for example in efforts in international arms control and the regulation of new technologies.
• Neutrality: The neutrality policy should be revised, more closely aligned with its security policy function and handled more flexibly. A majority of the committee also recommends aligning neutrality policy more closely with the UN Charter and taking greater account of the distinction between aggressor and victim. A large majority is also in favor of a fundamental revision of the War Material Act in order to be able to follow this further development of neutrality policy.
• Recommendations flow into work on the Security Policy Strategy 2025

The Commission's report and recommendations are publicly accessible and are intended to contribute to the public and parliamentary debate. Under the leadership of the State Secretariat for Security Policy SEPOS, the recommendations will be incorporated into the work on the Security Policy Strategy 2025, which has just begun.

The DDPS would like to thank Chairman Valentin Vogt, report author Katja Gentinetta and the committee members for their valuable work and this report.

Source: vbs.admin.ch