Today, the Swiss Federal Council has adopted a new regulation about automatic implementation of UNSCR sanctions lists into Swiss law. This will enable changes to UNSCR sanctions lists to become immediately effective in Switzerland. The new regulation enters into force today (4 March) 6pm CET.
Previously, such changes had to first be implemented by way of the Federal Council adopting or adapting the respective sanctions regulations. Automatic implementation of the sanctions lists henceforth applies both to existing and new sanctions regulations based on UN sanctions. However, substantive provisions and changes thereto remain the prerogative of the Federal Council, i.e. there will be no automatic implementation of such UN sanctions.
The persons, entities and organisations designated on the UN sanctions lists will be fed into SECO’s database SESAM the following working day. Currently, 15 sanctions regulations contain designated parties lists based on UNSCR resolutions or those of the concerned sanctions committees. They are binding on UN member states pursuant to art. 25 of the UN Charter.
