Practical Information

La Suisse ne connaît pas de lois de blocage en tant que telles.  Il existe toutefois dans certaines lois des dispositions limitant la participation en Suisse à des procédures d'entraide judiciaire d'obtention de preuves, à savoir :

• Protection de la souveraineté suisse : le Code pénal suisse (CP, RS 311.0) (SCC Swiss Criminal Code, non-official English translation) contient les dispositions suivantes relatives à la sauvegarde de la souveraineté territoriale de la Suisse et étrangère : art. 271 (Actes exécutés sans droit pour un État étranger), art. 273 (Service de renseignements économiques), et art. 299 (Violation de la souveraineté territoriale étrangère) CP.
• Secret bancaire : la loi sur les banques (LB, RS 952.0) contient à l'art. 47 LB l'obligation du secret bancaire. Ce secret n'est toutefois pas absolu et est levé dans certaines circonstances, notamment en cas de fraude ou autres délits pénaux. L'alinéa 5 réserve néanmoins les dispositions de la législation fédérale et cantonale sur l'obligation de renseigner l'autorité et de témoigner en justice. Une demande peut donc avoir différentes issues, selon son lieu d'exécution.
• Dispositions du Code de procédure civile suisse  (CPC, RS 272) (CPC Swiss Civil Procedure Code, non-official English translation) relatives au droit de refus de témoigner: - Art. 156 Sauvegarde d'intérêts dignes de protection: Le tribunal peut ordonner des mesures propres à éviter que l'administration des preuves ne porte atteinte à des intérêts dignes de protection des parties ou de tiers, notamment à des secrets d'affaires.
• - Art. 160 Obligation de collaborer à l'administration des preuves.
• - Art. 163 Droit de refus de témoigner des parties
• - Art. 165, Art. 166 Droit de refus absolu ou restreint de témoigner des tiers
• - Dans certaines procédures, les droits de refus de témoigner ne s'appliquent pas, notamment dans les affaires de droit de la famille concernant les enfants: Art. 296 CPC
• Secret professionnel: Code pénal suisse art. 321, qui dispose toutefois que demeurent réservées les dispositions fédérales ou cantonales statuant une obligation de renseigner une autorité ou de témoigner en justice.
• Protection des sources: Code pénal suisse art. 28a. 

Chapter I
(Letters of Requests)

In most cantons, Letters of Request are sent directly from a judicial authority in that canton to the Central Authority of the requested State.

In other cantons, Letters of Request are first sent to the cantonal Central Authority before being sent to the Central Authority of the requested State.

In most cantons, the judicial authority competent to execute the request, via the central authority.

In other cantons, the Central Authority.

Yes, prior authorisation required (see declaration of applicability and competent authority).

No declaration of applicability.

Accepts Letters of Request written in or translated into the language of the requested authority, i.e. in German, French or Italian, depending on the region of Switzerland in which they are to be executed (see reservation).

Such scenarios would only arise in exceptional cases (e.g. doctor's fees for saliva tests).

Up to four months (est.).

Letter of Request may be executed subject to certain conditions (qualified exclusion).

See Lignes directrices – Entraide judiciaire internationale en matière civile – Office fédéral de la justice (Guidelines in Civil Matters) (available in French, German, Italian and English). 

Code de procédure civile (CPC) 
(Swiss Civil Procedure Code, non-official English translation)

Witness examination under Chapter I

Most cantons require questions to be drafted with sufficient certainty and clarity (otherwise, the request is returned for redrafting). If the fact scenario is clear, questions do not need to be drafted in great detail. Experience shows that a list of detailed questions will speed up proceedings.

Practice varies from canton to canton. The Swiss Civil Procedure Code requires hearings to be public, with the exception of family law proceedings. The judge may order all or part of the proceedings to be held behind closed doors when required by public interest or by the legitimate interests of a person involved. (art. 54 CPC). Each witness is examined in the absence of other witnesses; confrontation is reserved (art. 171 CPC). The parties have the right to participate in the taking of evidence (art. 155 CPC).
Code de procédure civile (CPC)
(Swiss Civil Procedure Code, non-official English translation)

Yes (in most cantons).
No (in other cantons).

Practice varies from canton to canton; generally: No.

No (in most cantons).
Yes (in other cantons).

Le Code de procédure civile suisse (CPC) ne prévoit pas le serment pour le témoin. Par contre, le CPC prévoit des rappels à faire aux témoins et parties avant l'obtention de preuves.
Art. 171 Forme de l'audition: 1 Le témoin est préalablement exhorté à répondre conformément à la vérité; s'il a au moins quatorze ans, il est rendu attentif aux conséquences pénales du faux témoignage (art. 307 CP).
Art. 191 Interrogatoire des parties: 2 Les parties sont exhortées à répondre conformément à la vérité; le tribunal les rend attentives au fait qu'en cas de mensonge délibéré, elles peuvent être punies d'une amende disciplinaire de 2000 francs au plus et, en cas de récidive, de 5000 francs au plus.
Art. 192 Déposition des parties: 1 Le tribunal peut d'office, sous menace de sanctions pénales, contraindre les deux parties ou l'une d'entre elles à faire une déposition.
2 Les parties sont exhortées au préalable à répondre conformément à la vérité; le tribunal les rend attentives aux conséquences d'une fausse déclaration (art. 306 CP, passible d'une peine privative de liberté de trois ans au plus ou d'une peine pécuniaire).

Yes.
In most cantons, the first Request may be re-invoked.

In other cantons, a second Request necessary.

Art. 167 CPC- Unjustified refusal of a third party: If a third party refuses to cooperate without justification, the court may:
a. impose a disciplinary fine up to 1,000 francs;
b. threaten sanctions under Article 292 SCC (Fine for non-compliance with an official order);
c. order the use of compulsory measures;
d. charge the third party the costs caused by the refusal.

Art. 164 CPC – Unjustified refusal of a party: If a party refuses to cooperate without valid reasons, the court shall take this into account when appraising the evidence.

Practice varies from canton to canton.

Practice varies from canton to canton.
Art. 176 CPC Transcript …
1 The essential details of the statement shall be placed on record, which is then read out or given to the witness to read and thereafter signed by the witness. Additional questions requested by the parties that have been rejected are also recorded if a party so requests.
2 In addition, the statement may be recorded on tape, by video or by other appropriate technical aids.
3 If statements are recorded during a hearing using technical aids in accordance with 2, the court or the examining member of the court may dispense with reading the transcript back to the person examined and or giving that person the transcript to read and sign. The recordings are placed in the case files together with the transcript.

Chapter II
(Taking of evidence by diplomatic officers, consular agents and commissioners)

Applicable, subject to prior authorisation by the Federal Department of Justice and Police. A request for authorization must be addressed to the Central Authority in the canton where the evidence is to be taken.

Applicable, subject to prior authorisation by the Federal Department of Justice and Police. A request for authorization must be addressed to the Central Authority in the canton where the evidence is to be taken.

Applicable, subject to prior authorisation by the Federal Department of Justice and Police. A request for authorization must be addressed to the Central Authority in the canton where the evidence is to be taken.

No declaration of applicability (i.e., a diplomatic officer, consular agent or commissioner may not apply for appropriate assistance to obtain evidence by compulsion).

Taking of evidence by video-links
(under either chapter) 

Chapter I

No.
Most cantonal Central Authorities consider the legal basis for such measures to be found in the functional development of the Convention.
Some Central Authorities have nevertheless based these measures on arts 7 and 8 of the Convention. It is advisable to contact the relevant cantonal authority or court in advance to assess whether obtaining video evidence under Chapter I CLaH70 is appropriate case-by-case. Contact details can be found at http://www.elorge.admin.ch/. For example, the following questions may arise: allocation of costs and the availability of equipment (between the requested authorities, requesting authorities, and parties); identification of the persons giving and taking the evidence; technology issues (system compatibility, IT security).

No information available.

No information available.

No information available.

No information available.

No information available.

Several theoretical responses are possible. The application by analogy of coercive measures available in respect of witnesses who refuse to testify or comply with court orders could be envisaged. For their part, some cantonal Central Authorities would abandon the use of video-link.
On the other hand, one Central Authority has indicated that, in cases where the participation of the parties and foreign judicial personnel was based on arts 7 and 8 respectively of the Convention, the witness was not entitled to refuse the video-link. Potential issues could arise in terms of the legality of video recording.

Chapter II

Subject to prior authorisation by the Federal Department of Justice and Police. A request for authorization must be addressed to the Central Authority in the canton where the evidence is to be taken.

No information available.

No information available.

No information available.

No information available.

No information available.

Bilateral conventions on judicial co-operation:
Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Luxemburg, Pakistan, Slovakia, Turkey.

Lignes directrices – Entraide judiciaire internationale en matière civile – Office fédéral de la justice (Guidelines in Civil Matters) (available in French, German, Italian and English)
and Aide-mémoire for authorisations under arts 15-17 Evidence Convention (available in French, German, Italian and English)