Neutrality

In terms of foreign policy, Switzerland acts in accordance with the principle of neutrality. However, this does not in any way mean that it is an outsider on the world stage: Switzerland has been a member of the UN since 2002 and also plays an important role in the UN’s specialized organizations. Furthermore, Switzerland has always played and continues to plays an active part in important economic organizations, such as the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).

For more than 500 years, Swiss politics have been dominated by the words of St. Nicholas of Flüe (1417-1487): “Don’t get involved in other people’s affairs.” Switzerland has been neutral since 1515, as also acknowledged by the great European powers after the Napoleonic Wars in 1815. No other country in Europe can look back on such a long tradition of neutrality. Since the end of the Cold War, Switzerland has relaxed its definition of neutrality. As the role of NATO changed and it started to perform more peacekeeping missions, Switzerland signed up to the NATO Partnership for Peace in 1996. Thanks to its neutrality, Switzerland often acts as a mediator. In some cases, Swiss diplomats also represent the interests of countries which have no official contact with each other. Switzerland offers its neutral territory as a location for meetings and conferences of particular political delicacy.