General information

General information on the export controls for armaments is available here.

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Export control exemptions to apply to all EU and EFTA states

On 27 May 2026, the Federal Council decided to extend country-specific exemptions under Swiss export control legislation on trade in military equipment to include all EU and EFTA states. The annexes to three federal ordinances will be amended accordingly. As of 1 July, states added to the lists will benefit from the same concessions as those already applicable to most EU member states and to Norway.

Press release: Export control exemptions to apply to all EU and EFTA states

Processing times for the handling of export applications

Straightforward cases requiring no consultation with other authorities

Applications concerning countries listed in Annex 2 to the WMO with a goods value of under CHF 20 million are generally processed within two weeks.

More complex cases requiring consultation with other authorities

This category covers applications with a goods value exceeding CHF 20 million and those concerning countries not listed in Annex 2 to the WMO. Such applications are generally processed within six weeks.

Applications that must be referred to the Federal Council

The WMO provides that certain applications must be referred to the Federal Council on account of their foreign policy or security policy significance, or where there is disagreement on how they should be handled. Processing times for such applications may run to several months depending on the individual case. Applicants will be informed if a referral to the Federal Council is required and of any resulting delays. It should be noted that these are exceptional cases.