Summary

Federal Councillor Beat Jans participated on 16 July 2026 in an informal meeting of EU interior ministers in Dublin, dedicated to combating organized crime. Switzerland joined the European Port Alliance and signaled progress on future access to Europol data. On 17 July 2026, Jans visited London, where he met with Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy and visited security authorities such as the National Crime Agency. The trip underscores Switzerland's strategy to strengthen international cooperation on security matters.

People

  • Beat Jans (Federal Councillor, Switzerland)
  • David Lammy (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice, United Kingdom)

Topics

  • Organized crime
  • European security cooperation
  • Schengen association
  • International police cooperation

Clarus Lead

Switzerland is positioning itself as a reliable security partner for Europe at a time when the EU is modernizing its data-sharing mechanisms. The planned direct access to Europol databases would allow Switzerland for the first time to participate in real-time in cross-border investigations – a strategic gain for a country that is geographically and economically closely intertwined with the EU. Participation in the Port Alliance also signals concrete operational capacity in combating drug trafficking, while the London talks show that Switzerland is also intensifying relations with non-EU states on security matters.

Detailed Summary

The European Port Alliance, which Switzerland now officially joins, focuses on combating drug trafficking by organized criminal networks. The model is based on a public-private partnership with joint workshops between ports, customs, and security authorities. Switzerland is participating with the Swiss Rhine Ports, the Federal Police Office, the Federal Customs and Border Security Office, and the police forces of Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft – a federally coordinated participation that previously required the approval of the cantons of Basel-Landschaft and Basel-Stadt.

Europol access represents a qualitative leap: while Switzerland, as a Schengen-associated state, already has access to the Schengen Information System (SIS) – which in 2025 recorded 39,098 hits related to Switzerland – direct Europol access would provide information on international and organized crime, cybercrime, terrorism, as well as on suspected and convicted persons. The draft Europol regulation, which the EU Commission presented in June 2026, provides that Schengen-associated states can obtain this access under an agreement. Switzerland has already anchored this issue in its strategy for combating organized crime as a field of action.

In London, Jans exchanged views with Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy on combating international crime and gender-based violence. The delegation visited the National Crime Agency (NCA), Britain's national criminal police, and the International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre (IACCC), an international anti-corruption organization operating since 2017. Switzerland is currently an observer at the IACCC and participates in governance board meetings.

Key Points

  • Switzerland joins the European Port Alliance and thereby strengthens its operational role in combating drug trafficking.
  • Direct access to Europol databases is in prospect and would accelerate cross-border investigations.
  • Switzerland is deepening its security cooperation with both the EU and the United Kingdom and international anti-corruption bodies.

Critical Questions

  1. Evidence: What concrete success metrics do existing public-private partnership models in European ports demonstrate in drug enforcement? Are the Swiss Rhine Ports technically and personnel-wise prepared for the new requirements?

  2. Conflicts of Interest: What commercial impacts does intensified control have on port operators and logistics companies? Are there compensation mechanisms for delays caused by enhanced security checks?

  3. Causality: Does Europol access demonstrably lead to faster investigative successes, or is effectiveness dependent on other factors (staffing, legal assistance)? What alternatives to direct database integration were evaluated?

  4. Feasibility: What data protection and data security standards must Swiss authorities meet to process Europol data? How long will ratification of the planned agreement take?

  5. Side Effects: Could expanded data access lead to an expansion of surveillance? What parliamentary oversight is envisioned for Europol access?

  6. Federalism: How is it ensured that the cantons of Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft remain appropriately involved in operational decisions of the Port Alliance?

Source Directory

Primary Source: Switzerland-EU Package (Bilateral III) – Federal Councillor Beat Jans at Meeting of EU Interior Ministers in Dublin and London – news.admin.ch, 17.07.2026

Verification Status: ✓ 17.07.2026

This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial Responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-Check: 17.07.2026