Explosives: stricter regulation for precursor substances
The Federal Council has just approved the dispatch on the Federal Law on Precursors for Explosive Substances. The amendments to the law make it more difficult to access certain chemical substances that can easily be misused for terrorist purposes. In future, anyone wishing to buy products containing such substances will need a permit from Fedpol.
Europe continues to be a target for terrorist explosive attacks. Some have been foiled, others failed, such as the attack in London in September 2017. The explosive device did not detonate, presumably because mistakes were made during manufacture. This is one of the positive effects of EU regulation on the use of precursors for explosive substances, the Federal Council writes.
Precursors for explosive substances are substances contained in products of daily use such as fertilizers, cleaning agents for swimming pools or solvents. These substances, for example hydrogen peroxide, acetone or even nitrates, are contained in products that are still freely available for sale in Switzerland. In the EU, on the other hand, trade in these products has been regulated since 2014.
A specific regulation
The Federal Council is aware of the risk that terrorists could obtain chemical substances in Switzerland in order to manufacture explosives. To make access to these substances more difficult, Bern is now proposing a specific regulation. The proposed legislation is part of Switzerland's counterterrorism strategy, he said. The regulation of precursors for explosive substances would improve Switzerland's internal security.
The proposed regulation applies to the purchase of a good hundred products sold mainly in pharmacies, drugstores and specialty stores. No restrictions are envisaged for products with a low concentration of precursors. In the future, a permit from the Federal Office of Police (Fedpol) will be required to purchase products with increased concentrations, and anyone wishing to buy such a product must state the intended use. It is also possible that private individuals will be banned from accessing products with high concentrations, although exemption permits will be possible, according to the media release on the Federal Council's Message more.
This regulation only applies to private individuals. Professional users, such as the agricultural sector, are not affected. With regard to possible misuse in the use of precursors for explosive substances, the Federal Council is relying on self-monitoring and raising awareness among professional users. Since September 2016, suspicious transactions can be reported to Fedpol. By the end of October 2019, 57 suspicious cases had been reported, it concluded.
Source: Federal Council
