Switzerland has approved accession to the Protocol to the Treaty Concerning the Permanent Neutrality and Operation of the Panama Canal, aligning itself with the 1977 legal regime that keeps the waterway open to vessels of all nations, according to the Swiss Federal Council.
The decision, taken in Bern on 13 May 2026, ties Switzerland to a framework linked to the Panama-United States treaty governing the canal’s permanent neutrality.
The treaty provides for the Panama Canal to remain open to peaceful transit in both peace and war.
States joining the protocol undertake to observe and respect the canal’s permanent neutrality and ensure vessels under their registry comply with the treaty’s rules.
The Federal Council said maritime transport is important for Switzerland’s foreign trade and maritime services, while accession creates no new rights or obligations for the country.
The Swiss Federal Council is Switzerland’s seven-member federal executive authority, responsible for national government administration and foreign policy decisions.
The Organization of American States is the depositary for the 1977 Panama Canal neutrality treaty and related instruments.
