EAER - Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research of the Swiss Confederation

08/13/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/13/2025 02:27

Sanctions: Federal Council extends humanitarian exemptions

Press releasePublished on 13 August 2025

Sanctions: Federal Council extends humanitarian exemptions

Berne, 13.08.2025 - The Federal Council is strengthening measures to protect humanitarian activities in numerous sanctions ordinances. Among other things, it is introducing humanitarian exemptions in line with UN sanctions. At the same time, it has standardised and clarified various financial regulations. The amendments will enter into force on 15 September.

Switzerland's sanctions ordinances are designed in such a way as not to impede humanitarian activities. Nevertheless, it was felt there was a need to provide greater clarity for humanitarian organisations. The Federal Council's decision of 13 August serves to strengthen the protection afforded to humanitarian activities in sanctions ordinances based on EU sanctions. The new measures introduce comprehensive humanitarian exemptions in line with those already introduced by the Federal Council in 2023 in sanctions ordinances based on UN Security Council resolutions.

This decision is consistent with Switzerland's humanitarian tradition and its longstanding commitment to protecting humanitarian activities in situations affected by sanctions.

At the same time, the Federal Council has specified and standardised several measures in the area of financial sanctions. This concerns, among other things, regulations on the crediting of funds to blocked accounts as well as reporting obligations. The amendments concern sanctions ordinances pertaining to Belarus, Burundi, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Iran, Moldova, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Zimbabwe, Syria, Ukraine, supporters of Hamas and the Palestinian Jihad and Venezuela.

Links:

Switzerland to implement the humanitarian exemption to UN sanctions regimes (26 April 2023) news.admin.ch/en/nsb?id=94589

UN Security Council: humanitarian aid must reach those in need despite UN sanctions news.admin.ch/en/nsb?id=103466

Address for enquiriesGS-EAER Communications+41 58 462 20 [email protected]

Publisher

The Swiss Federal Council

https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start.html

State Secretariat for Economic Affairs

https://www.seco.admin.ch/seco/en/home.html

Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research

https://www.wbf.admin.ch/en

Topics

  • Foreign affairs
  • Foreign affairs: Foreign policy
  • Federal Council
  • Economic & Financial Centre
  • Economic & Financial Centre: Sanctions / Embargos and Export Controls
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