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Or he couldn't do it. Some keys require specialized fabrication hardware, which can get really expensive.

Same sort of experience in the UK, when trying to get a copy of my front door key made. You needed the original barcode that came with the keys to order copies.

That's probably the reason why a lot of keys here in Switzerland nowadays have chips on them as well.

Did you have proof of (home I suppose) ownership with you? If not he didn't do it because it would have been against the law.

No, as I said, I wasn't even aware that it was a secure key. I can't remember exactly what the key was for, presumably to the door of my rental apartment.

If I remember correctly, the renter isn't allowed to copy keys (presumably because he could then use them to break in to the flat a few years later).

I assume European lock smiths are a little bit more suspicious when it comes to copying keys ...