An independent panel has recommended that Switzerland deepen its military cooperation with NATO and the European Union, increase arms spending, and reassess its long-standing non-aligned status, Bloomberg reports.
This proposal is a departure from the country’s traditional policy of neutrality and is influencing the development of a new security strategy set to be published next year.
Commissioned by the Swiss defense ministry, the committee — comprised of experts from scientific, political, and economic fields — submitted a comprehensive report containing 100 recommendations across seven key areas. The government released the findings on Thursday, sparking immediate backlash from the Swiss People’s Party (SVP), the largest party in parliament. The SVP vehemently opposed any moves that they believe would undermine Switzerland’s defense sovereignty and “destroy Swiss neutrality.”
Among the core recommendations is a call for Switzerland to increase its military spending to 1% of GDP by 2030, up from the current level of approximately 0.8%. The panel also urged the reinforcement of the arms industry by lifting certain re-export bans and enhancing cooperation with NATO and EU security initiatives.
“Cooperation must be consolidated not only at the military level but also at the diplomatic level, particularly in the context of international arms control activities and the regulation of new technologies,” the report stated.
The expert panel suggested updating the strict definition of neutrality to better serve Switzerland’s security interests, proposing a more flexible application. A majority of the committee members also recommended that neutrality be aligned more closely with the Charter of the United Nations.
