Exported war goods worth 205 million francs

(nda) The list published Thursday by the State Secretariat for the Economy (Seco) does not allow comparison with the figures of the previous year, As said a spokeswoman at the request of the Keystone-SDA agency, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco ) had used the customs figures before the end of the year 2017. However, this year's figures come from the Elic system, which records including the export of war material.

Figures vary, among other things, in repairs. For example, the spokeswoman pointed out to Ireland that Elic figures, including the re-export of war material repaired, accounted for just over 8 million francs, those of the customs army 58,000 francs.

War

There are 57 countries on the list. These are each the country of destination, that is, the country in which the goods are "used or processed, refined or processed before being re-exported", as indicated by the Seco on the list. War material can therefore be delivered from the country mentioned to the other. Seco publishes a list once a year on the final destination country.

Since January, Seco has also approved deliveries to countries where there is no internal conflict – which would be known as forbidden – but involved in major armed conflicts, These include the "war". Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. In the Yemeni war, the two countries support the government, which has been fighting the Houthi rebels for three years

War material with a "defensive character"

Approved exports to Saudi Arabia rise to 1 , 9 million francs Seco spokesman however. They are spare parts for anti-aircraft systems, that is, defensive war material. Similarly, it justifies exports to the United Arab Emirates, which amounted to 9.5 million francs

of which about 9 million francs would fall on anti-aircraft munitions. A spokesperson of about 244,000 francs was intended for private buyers and 309,000 francs would have affected the repair of tanks, according to the spokesman.

The highest value of authorized exports is 47.7 million francs. Exports to countries of civil war are the subject of an investigation

The export of war material to countries involved in internal armed conflict is not allowed until 39, now. However, in June, the Federal Council decided to relax the rules on the export of war material.

He instructed the Commerce Department to develop an amendment to the Ordinance on War Materials. Recently, exports to countries with internal armed conflict should be allowed if there is no reason to believe that the war material will be used in this conflict.