Glossary: Neutrality Initiative
This glossary explains all technical terms and abbreviations used in the neutrality initiative subject area.
Glossary
| Term | Explanation |
|---|---|
| APK-N | Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council — responsible for foreign policy, neutrality, and international relations. |
| Art. 54a BV | Proposed new article of the Federal Constitution aiming to constitutionally enshrine permanent armed neutrality. |
| AUNS | Campaign for an Independent and Neutral Switzerland — political organisation advocating for neutrality and against EU rapprochement. |
| Bewaffnete Neutralität | Armed neutrality — neutrality policy backed by own defence capability, as opposed to mere declared neutrality without military backing. |
| Bilaterale III | Planned treaty package between Switzerland and the EU to stabilise and develop bilateral relations. |
| BV | Federal Constitution of the Swiss Confederation (SR 101) — the supreme legal basis of Switzerland. |
| CSS | Center for Security Studies — security policy research centre at ETH Zurich. |
| EDA | Federal Department of Foreign Affairs — Switzerland's foreign ministry. |
| EFTA | European Free Trade Association — (Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein). |
| EGMR | European Court of Human Rights — court of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. Switzerland is subject to the ECHR. |
| EWR | European Economic Area — extends the EU's internal market to EFTA states (excluding Switzerland, which rejected EEA membership in 1992). |
| Gegenvorschlag | Counter-proposal — alternative to a popular initiative drafted by Parliament. Can be direct or indirect. |
| GSVP | Common Security and Defence Policy of the EU — the military arm of EU foreign policy. |
| Gute Dienste | Good offices — Switzerland's diplomatic mediation activities (protecting power mandates, mediation, conference host). Central function of Swiss foreign policy. |
| Haager Abkommen | Hague Conventions of 1907 regulating the laws of war. Convention V defines the rights and duties of neutral states. |
| Immerwährende Neutralität | Permanent neutrality (as opposed to neutrality limited to a specific conflict). Switzerland has practised this since 1815. |
| ITPP | Individual Partnership and Cooperation Programme — bilateral NATO programme for partner countries like Switzerland. |
| KMU | Small and medium-sized enterprises — businesses with fewer than 250 employees; backbone of the Swiss economy (99.7 % of all firms). |
| Komitee | Initiative committee — group of citizens who launch and drive a popular initiative. |
| NATO | North Atlantic Treaty Organization — Western military alliance (32 member states, as of 2026). |
| PfP | Partnership for Peace — NATO programme for non-members. Switzerland has participated since 1996. |
| Sanktionsverbot | Sanctions ban — core demand of the neutrality initiative: Switzerland would not be allowed to impose economic sanctions on belligerent states. |
| SBFI | State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation — responsible for international research cooperations (e.g. Horizon Europe). |
| Schutzmachtmandat | Protecting power mandate — diplomatic representation of a state's interests in another state with which it has no diplomatic relations. Switzerland holds several such mandates. |
| SECO | State Secretariat for Economic Affairs — implements Switzerland's sanctions policy. |
| Souveränität | Sovereignty — a state's right of self-determination; the ability to independently decide on internal and external affairs. |
| Stände-/Volksmehr | Double majority — adopting a constitutional initiative requires both a majority of voters and a majority of cantons. |
| Trittbrettfahrer | Free rider — accusation that Switzerland benefits from NATO's security architecture without contributing to it. |
| UBRL | Agreement on relations with Russia — political debate on Swiss Russia sanctions since 2022. |
| UNO | United Nations — most important international organisation for peace and security. Switzerland has been a member since 2002. |
| VBS | Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport. |
| Volksinitiative | Popular initiative — instrument of direct democracy: 100,000 signatures within 18 months force a popular vote on a constitutional amendment. |
List of Abbreviations
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| APK-N | Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council |
| AUNS | Campaign for an Independent and Neutral Switzerland |
| BV | Federal Constitution of the Swiss Confederation (SR 101) |
| CSS | Center for Security Studies |
| EDA | Federal Department of Foreign Affairs |
| EFTA | European Free Trade Association |
| EGMR | European Court of Human Rights |
| EWR | European Economic Area |
| GSVP | Common Security and Defence Policy of the EU |
| ITPP | Individual Partnership and Cooperation Programme |
| KMU | Small and medium-sized enterprises |
| NATO | North Atlantic Treaty Organization |
| SBFI | State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation |
| SECO | State Secretariat for Economic Affairs |
| UBRL | Agreement on relations with Russia |
| UNO | United Nations |
| VBS | Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport |
As of March 2026. All information is based on publicly available sources.