Summary

Federal Councillor Beat Jans visited Belgium on 8–9 April 2026 for working meetings in the security sector. He met with Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin, the national drug commissioner Ine Van Wymersch, and the head of the Belgian counter-terrorism authority OCAM. On the second day, the delegation visited the Port of Antwerp, one of Europe's largest entry points for cocaine. Jans was accompanied by regional government councillors Stephanie Eymann (BS) and Kathrin Schweizer (BL), as well as representatives from fedpol and the Federal Customs and Border Security Office.

Persons

Topics

  • Organized crime
  • Counter-terrorism
  • International port cooperation
  • Schengen cooperation
  • Drug trafficking and cocaine smuggling

Clarus Lead

The visit underscores the growing importance of bilateral security cooperation within the Schengen area in light of escalating threats from organized crime and extremism. Belgium's experience with port controls and drug enforcement is directly relevant to Switzerland, as the Basel Rhine ports, as the "Port of Switzerland," are increasingly becoming targets for smugglers. Switzerland is thereby signaling interest in a more active role in the European Port Alliance to institutionalize information sharing and best practices and strengthen security in the Schengen area.

Detailed Summary

The talks focused on four main points: organized crime, counter-terrorism, drug trafficking, and port security. Belgium has specialized structures such as the OCAM authority (Organe de Coordination pour l'Analyse de la Menace) for counter-terrorism and has recently implemented security sector reforms that are showing initial successes—cocaine smuggling through the Port of Antwerp has decreased, but is shifting to smaller ports.

Switzerland presented its first national strategy against organized crime in December 2025, to be implemented through a National Action Plan and legislative amendments. Belgium's expertise in effective measures against drug trafficking and money laundering is central to this process. In the areas of terrorism and youth radicalization, new forms of violent extremism are being discussed; the Schengen Information System (SIS) enables cross-border searches for persons and objects.

Switzerland is currently an observer to the European Port Alliance and has established a round table with the Basel Rhine ports, fedpol, and regional police forces. The Antwerp talks confirmed that bilateral police cooperation, Schengen cooperation, and access to information systems such as SIS, Europol, and INTERPOL are essential for internal security.

Key Findings

  • Belgium and Switzerland share priorities in combating organized crime, terrorism, and radicalization
  • The Port of Antwerp is a critical point for cocaine smuggling into Europe; Switzerland wants to learn from Belgian control measures
  • Switzerland is signaling increased interest in the European Port Alliance to institutionalize security cooperation
  • The Schengen Information System and bilateral treaties are central to security in the Schengen area

Critical Questions

  1. Evidence: What concrete data demonstrate that Belgian port security measures have led to measurable success, and how is this measured?

  2. Conflicts of Interest: To what extent do economic interests of the Basel Rhine ports influence Swiss security policy toward the European Port Alliance?

  3. Causality: Can the diversion of cocaine smuggling to smaller ports be interpreted as a success of Belgian policy, or does this exacerbate the problem regionally?

  4. Feasibility: What concrete resources and legislative amendments are necessary to implement the national strategy against organized crime, and by when?

  5. Data Protection: How are data protection and transparency ensured in the expanded use of the Schengen Information System?

  6. Alternatives: Why is full membership in the European Port Alliance not being pursued, but only an enhanced observer role?

Source Directory

Primary Source: Federal Councillor Beat Jans on Working Visit to Belgium – Security at the Center of Meetings – news.admin.ch, 09.04.2026

Verification Status: ✓ 09.04.2026

This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial Responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-Check: 09.04.2026