Belarus: Significant tightening of Swiss sanctions

On August 11, the Federal Council adopted almost immediate restrictions on trade in certain goods and services plus financial restrictions

On August 11, 2021, the Federal Council again adjusted the sanctions against Belarus. The new measures, which include trade restrictions on certain goods and financial restrictions, go into effect at 6 p.m. on August 11, 2021.
The extension of sanctions is in line with several decisions issued by the European Union in June. In addition to the existing embargo on armament material and goods that could be used for repressive purposes, the Federal Council decrees an embargo on the monitoring or interception of Internet or telephone communications.
The new measures also include restrictions on trade in dual-use goods, petroleum and petroleum products, potash products and goods for the manufacture or processing of tobacco products.
In the financial sector, the Federal Council has adopted restrictions concerning the issuance and trade of certain financial instruments, the granting of loans and insurance and reinsurance services for the Belarusian government and other public entities.
Finally, the Executive decided to subject the state-owned enterprise “Belaeronavigatsia”, responsible for Belarusian air traffic control, to financial sanctions.

Good offices and economic agreements in the Russia-Switzerland summit

The first federal restrictions 15 years ago

On June 28, 2006, the Federal Council had already ordered coercive measures against Belarus in accordance with the EU decision.
Since then, the Ordinance on Measures against Belarus (SR 946.231.116.9) and its annex with the names of natural persons, companies and organizations subject to sanctions have been amended several times, always in line with the EU. In order to implement the new measures, the ordinance had to be completely revised.
Switzerland is very concerned about the continued deterioration of the human rights situation in Belarus and the lack of dialogue between the government and civil society.
It calls on Belarus to respect its international human rights commitments: in particular to guarantee freedom of opinion and freedom of assembly and association, to release all persons arbitrarily detained and to investigate allegations of torture and ill-treatment by the security forces.

There is a customs memorandum of understanding between Russia and Switzerland