Switzerland
Switzerland voted in favour of adopting the TPNW at the UN Diplomatic Conference in 2017, but has not yet adhered to the Treaty and has consistently abstained on the UN General Assembly resolutions on the TPNW in 2018, 2019, and 2020. Switzerland maintains policies and practices that are compliant with all of the prohibitions in Article 1 of the TPNW, and can therefore sign and ratify the Treaty without making changes to existing practices or policies.
| TPNW status |
|---|
| Not signed, not ratified, not acceded |
| Compatibility with prohibitions in TPNW Article 1(1) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Art 1(1)(a) | Develop, produce, manufacture, acquire | Compatible |
| Test | Compatible | |
| Possess or stockpile | Compatible | |
| Art 1(1)(b) | Transfer | Compatible |
| Art 1(1)(c) | Receive transfer or control | Compatible |
| Art 1(1)(d) | Use | Compatible |
| Threaten to use | Compatible | |
| Art 1(1)(e) | Assist, encourage or induce | Compatible |
| Art 1(1)(f) | Seek or receive assistance | Compatible |
| Art 1(1)(g) | Allow stationing, installation, deployment | Compatible |
| TPNW voting and participation | |
|---|---|
| Vote on negotiation mandate (A/RES/71/258) | Abstained |
| Participated in treaty negotiations (% women) | Yes (14%) |
| Vote on adoption of treaty text | Voted yes |
| Last vote on UNGA resolution | Abstained |
| Fissile material | |
|---|---|
| Fissile material production facilities | No |
| Highly enriched uranium stocks | No |
| Plutonium stocks (military/civilian) | No/Stored abroad |
| Related treaties and regimes | |
|---|---|
| Party to the NPT | Yes |
| Party to a NWFZ | No |
| Ratified the CTBT | Yes (Annex 2 state) |
| Party to the PTBT | Yes |
| Member of the CD | Yes |
| IAEA CSA in force | Yes |
| IAEA AP in force | Yes |
| Party to the CWC | Yes |
| Party to the BWC | Yes |
Latest developments
In June 2018, the Swiss Government published an interdepartmental working group (IDAG) report on the implications of accession to the TPNW. 'At the current stage', the report concluded, 'the reasons against an accession of Switzerland outweigh the potential opportunities accompanying a signature and ratification of this treaty.' Both houses of the Swiss Parliament subsequently instructed the government to sign and ratify without delay. The Swiss Government plans to update the IDAG report and review its decision after the NPT Review Conference, now postponed to 2021, and contends that this fulfils the mandate given by Parliament. Parliament and NGOs disagree. In a letter to ICAN dated 20 July 2020, the President of the Swiss Confederation, Ms. Simonetta Sommaruga, wrote: 'As you will know, the Federal Council has discussed the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) a number of times on the basis of an in-depth analysis by an interdepartmental working group. While the Federal Council decided not to join the Treaty at this stage, it took note of the position of the Swiss Parliament and agreed to re-evaluate the Swiss position on the TPNW earlier than originally planned. The outcomes of the next NPT Review Conference are one of several developments which will influence the Swiss re-evaluation.' Bern and Geneva have signed ICAN’s Cities Appeal. See: bit.ly/2nGIhQr, bit.ly/2kTeiqI, bit.ly/2ktmTQF.
Recommendations
- Switzerland should urgently sign and ratify the TPNW, and encourage other states to adhere to the Treaty.