Executive Summary

The Swiss Federal Council opened the consultation procedure for the revision of the Weapons Ordinance on 24 June 2026. The revision aims to clarify the definition of imitation weapons and thereby reduce legal uncertainty. In future, an imitation weapon will only be considered interchangeable with a firearm if an expert cannot distinguish the difference at first glance. Additionally, definitions of essential weapon components will be adjusted and administrative procedures simplified. The consultation runs until 26 October 2026.

Persons

  • Federal Council (collectively)

Topics

  • Weapons law
  • Imitation weapons
  • Legal certainty
  • Administrative simplification

Clarus Lead

The revision addresses a core problem in enforcement practice: the previous definition of imitation weapons has led to criminal proceedings and considerable effort for police and judicial authorities. The clarification through the expert criterion is intended to resolve these uncertainties and reduce the number of sanctions. In parallel, the Federal Office of Police (fedpol) is planning measures against foreign online providers, such as through declaration requirements – a measure that will require future revisions of the Weapons Act.

Detailed Summary

The current definition of an imitation weapon has led to considerable enforcement problems. A weapon was previously considered interchangeable if it "appeared at first glance" to resemble a real firearm – a formulation that offered room for interpretation and created uncertainty for both owners and authorities. The new definition establishes a more objective criterion: only if an expert cannot immediately recognize the difference does the imitation weapon fall under the regulations of the Weapons Act. This reduces criminal proceedings and lowers administrative burden.

In parallel, fedpol is working on measures against foreign providers, particularly online trading platforms. A possible measure is the introduction of a declaration requirement, whereby providers must clearly indicate that weapons offered are subject to Swiss weapons law. This work is being coordinated with the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and is contingent on future revisions of the Weapons Act, which will also include measures against domestic violence.

The revision also takes into account modular weapon systems. The definitions of grip and breech are being adjusted to enable better control of manufacture and trade. Additionally, fedpol will in future be able to issue permits for the commercial import of certain weapons so that they can be displayed at trade fairs and auctions. These permits are subject to strict conditions – such as quantity limitations and specified periods of stay – and are monitored in coordination with cantonal authorities.

Key Statements

  • Imitation weapons will be newly defined through an expert criterion to reduce legal uncertainty
  • Measures against foreign online providers are planned, but require future Weapons Act revisions
  • Modular weapon systems lead to adjustments of weapon component definitions
  • Commercial import permits for collector weapons are administratively simplified
  • Consultation runs until 26 October 2026

Critical Questions

  1. Evidence: What empirical data demonstrate that the previous definition has led to a significant number of erroneous criminal proceedings? How will the reduction in proceedings be measured after the revision comes into force?

  2. Conflicts of Interest: To what extent do weapons dealers and collector associations influence the definition of the expert criterion, and how is their independence ensured?

  3. Causality: Is the clarification of the definition sufficient to resolve enforcement problems, or do the causes lie in the resource allocation of police and judicial authorities?

  4. Feasibility: How will it be ensured that "expert persons" apply uniform standards nationwide? What qualifications are required?

  5. External Measures: Why are declaration requirements for foreign providers not being implemented immediately, but only in future revisions? What legal obstacles exist?

  6. Control Mechanisms: How effective is cantonal oversight of commercial import permits, and what sanctions apply for violations of conditions?

  7. Side Effects: Could the simplification of import procedures for collectors unintentionally lead to higher availability of weapons that are subject to exceptional permits?

Sources

Primary Source: Federal Council – Consultation Procedure for the Revision of the Weapons Ordinance – https://www.news.admin.ch/de/newnsb/l2KJxlsXwKbi

Verification Status: ✓ 24.06.2026

This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-check: 24.06.2026