NeoSoft surveillance: refusals for Belarus and others
Goods category: Dual-use goods (Goods Control Act)
NeoSoft planned to export IMSI catchers for the Rapid Action Battalion in Bangladesh. The authorities stopped the project; an export application worth 1.2 million Swiss francs was rejected in 2015. Criminal proceedings opened following a report by SECO were later discontinued.
NeoSoft received licences for surveillance technology for Indonesia worth more than 13 million Swiss francs in 2017 and around 5.8 million in 2022. The technology includes the category of IMSI catchers for capturing mobile communications.
NeoSoft received export licences for surveillance technology to Lebanon in 2015 and 2018; the approved value in 2018 exceeded two million Swiss francs.
NeoSoft received export licences for surveillance technology to Serbia: 147’000 Swiss francs in 2016 and 1.95 million in 2023.
In 2023, NeoSoft received an export licence for surveillance technology to Mexico worth around one million Swiss francs.
In 2024, NeoSoft received an export licence to Malaysia worth 693’000 Swiss francs for technology in the IMSI-catcher export category.
A NeoSoft preliminary application to export surveillance technology to Belarus was rejected in 2016.
In 2016, the Swiss authorities rejected a NeoSoft application to export surveillance technology to Turkey.
In 2015 or 2016, the Swiss authorities refused NeoSoft an export of surveillance technology to Vietnam.
NeoSoft received export licences for surveillance technology to Morocco in 2015.
NeoSoft received export licences for surveillance technology to the Philippines in 2015.
Effect of the proposed War Materiel Act revision
Dual-use goods are not subject to the War Materiel Act, but to the much weaker Goods Control Act. These cases are included for illustration.
Countries
Companies
Time period
Approvals, plans and refusals in 2014–2024