International Conventions
Switzerland is a party to many international conventions that directly or indirectly affect animals. Some agreements are limited to the international trade in animals, such as the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). There are also other conventions on species conservation, such as the Bonn Convention, which aims at the conservation of migratory animals, or the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats. Animals cannot choose in which country they want to live or where they are kept, making their protection a cross-border task.
Like most legal fields, animal welfare law is becoming increasingly globalized. Special mention should be made of the five animal welfare conventions of the Council of Europe, all of which have been ratified by Switzerland and incorporated into national law. The individual conventions relate to the welfare of animals during transport, the protection of farm animals, animals for slaughter, laboratory animals, or companion animals. However, the various animal welfare acts issued under EU Community law are not directly applicable. Nevertheless, Switzerland has committed to the partial adoption of EU law through international agreements.
Below you find a selection of the most important international conventions governing the protection of animals:
- European Convention for the Protection of Animals during International Transport
- European Convention for the Protection of Animals kept for Farming Purposes
- European Convention for the protection of Companion Animals
- European Convention for the protection of vertebrate animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes
- European Convention for the Protection of Animals for Slaughter
- Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
- Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats
- International Convention on the Regulation of Whaling
- Bonn Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals
- Agreement on the Conservation of Populations of European Bats
- Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds
- Convention on Biological Diversity
- United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
- Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on trade in agricultural products
- Agreement Of November 11, 2010, Between The Swiss Confederation And The Kingdom Of Norway Relating To The Sanitary Measures Applicable To Trade In Live Animals, Sperm, Ova And Embryos Of Animals And Animal Products
- Agreement between New Zealand and the Swiss Confederation on Sanitary Measures Applicable to Trade in Live Animals and Animal Products
- General Agreement of Tariffs and Trade (GATT, 1947)