Die schweizerische Neutralität und der Fall Crypto AG (Marco Sassòli)

Recently it appeared that a Swiss company, Crypto AG, was owned by US secret services and supplied to other States encryption machines, including to enemies of the US in international armed conflicts, which allowed the US, in connivance with Swiss secret services, to have access to the messages sent through those machines. The law of neutrality is so outdated that it can be only applied with great difficulties to such conduct. One may however consider that Switzerland violated its obligations, in particular that of impartiality in military and security matters, but only if the State importing the machines was engaged in an international armed conflict with the US while receiving the machines or related services by Crypto AG. The conduct of the Swiss secret services was nevertheless contrary to Swiss neutrality policy, because it seriously jeopardized the credibility and predictability of the permanent Swiss neutrality.