Brussels – Switzerland and the European Defence Agency (EDA) want to coop-erate in the armaments sector. A corresponding cooperation framework was signed in Brussels today. The framework without legal commitment enables Switzerland to recognise armaments policy developments at an early stage, and to access multilateral armaments cooperation in Europe. Switzerland is free to decide what information it wants to exchange with the EDA and in what projects and programs it wishes to participate.

Today the framework in the field of armaments cooperation between the EDA and Switzer-land (in the form of a “Framework for Cooperation” without legal commitment) was signed at the headquarters of the European Defence Agency (EDA) in Brussels. For Switzerland the document was signed by Ambassador Jacques de Watteville, Head of the Swiss Mission to the European Union in Brussels. For the European Defence Agency the signature was af-fixed by Claude-France Arnould, Chief Executive of the EDA. On the Swiss side the Federal Council had approved the signature on 15 February 2012.

This signature lays the foundation for the armaments specific exchange of information and enables Switzerland to participate, from case to case, in armaments projects and programs coordinated by the EDA in the fields of research and development as well as procurement and maintenance of armaments. The framework does not entail  any commitments. Switzer-land is free to decide what information it wants to exchange within the framework and in what projects and programs it wishes to participate. For every concrete Swiss project participation a specific project agreement has to be concluded. The framework entered into force immedi-ately after its signature.

The development and production of armaments is complex and expensive. Therefore inter-national cooperation in the armaments sector becomes more and more important, also for Switzerland, and particularly in the field of research and development. In Europe most of these activities take place within the EDA. The agency is a platform for know-how exchange and project specific cooperation, and supports the EU member states in their development of defence capabilities; it promotes armaments coo-peration and competitiveness of the arma-ments industry as well as the efficiency of research and development activities in Europe.

The access to multilateral armaments cooperation in Europe and the participation in know-how transfer is of great benefit to the research and technology base of Switzerland and to our armaments industry.

Address for further inquiries

Daniel Klingele, Spokesperson Mission of Switzerland to the EU, +32 2 286 13 29

Kaj-Gunnar Sievert, Head Communication armasuisse, 031 324 62 47

Publisher

DDPS/armasuisse

Internet: www.armasuisse.ch

Integration Office FDFA/FDEA 

Internet: http://www.europa.admin.ch

Additional references

Federal Council’s Media Information of 15.2.2012: http://www.news.admin.ch/message/index.html?lang=de&msg-id=43429