ETH Workshop: "Arms Control and Technology Governance"

In a rapidly changing geopolitical and technological environment, the development of contemporary arms control measures and technology governance remains an important political task - also for Switzerland. The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the intensification of great power competition have deepened the cracks in the already strained arms control architecture. At the same time, rapid technological progress in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), information and communication technologies, robotics, neuroscience and biotechnology creates both risks and opportunities for technology governance. In particular, the adaptation of export control mechanisms and the increasing use of space as a strategic domain pose challenges for arms control.

Against this background, the aim of this non-public ETH Workshop (Chatham House Rules) was to promote an informal exchange between politics, administration, business and science on the topic of arms control and technology governance. Therefore, three panels discussed the following topics:

• Challenges for European Security and Arms Control (Moderation: Dr. Oliver Thränert, Head of Think Tank, CSS)
• Dual-Use Technologies and Expert Controls (Moderation: Sophie Reiners, Senior Researcher, Swiss and Euro-Atlantic Security, CSS)
• Governance in Space (Moderation: Sarah Wiedemar, Researcher, Cyberdefense Project, Risk and Resilience, CSS)