  
  
G/AG/GEN/164  
1 September  2020 
(20-5941) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Agriculture  Original:  French  
 
  
AD HOC  REPORT  FROM SWITZERLAND ON COVID -19 MEASURES  
IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR  
COMMUNICATION FROM SWITZERLAND  
1.  This ad hoc report covers the COVID -19 measures adopted by Switzerland since 1 April 2020. 
2.  Switzerland has introduced some temporary measures in the agricultural sector in response to 
the crisis : additional domestic support for certain sectors and improved market access to secure the 
supply of certain goods to our market (see also the tables compiled by the Secretariat concern ing 
trade measures and trade -related measures adopted in response to the COVID -19 crisis).  
3.  All additional contributions will be notified in the DS:1 notification for 2020 . Switzerland will stay 
within its bound total AMS limits.  
   
  G/AG/GEN/164  
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Ad hoc report from Switzerland on COVID -19 measures  
Name  Legal reference  Short description  Amount  
DOMESTIC SUPPORT     
Until 1 October , a temporary 
increase in the contribution to the 
voluntary freezing of bovine and 
goat meat.  Ordinance  on measures to mitigate the 
economic impact of the coronavirus on the 
agricultural sector (AS 2020 1141).  
 
Ordinance  on slaughter livestock and meat 
markets (916.341).  This increase in contributions to the storage of veal and goat meat 
has stabilized the market by temporarily reducing supply in 
response to the slump in demand as a result of the closure of 
restaurants.  
 CHF 3 million  
Special financial aid for reclassifying 
Swiss wines of 2019 vintage or 
earlier with controlled appellation of 
origin ( appell ation d'origine 
contrôlée , AOC) as table wines.  Ordinance  on coronavirus -related special 
financial aid for reclassifying AOC wines as 
table wines (916.141).  
 The financial aid package partly offsets the depreciation of wine 
due to the voluntary reclassification of AOC wines as table wine 
or industrial wine . This measure was introduced in response to 
the slump in demand as a result of the closure of restaurants and 
the ban on events . It aims to prop up the Swiss AOC wines 
market.  Max. CHF 10 million 
MARKET ACCESS     
Extension of tariff quota 5 (red 
meat) import duties.  This measure does not require legislative 
changes.  Import duties are imposed for a longer period due to weak 
demand.  - 
Autonomous increase to tariff quota 
7 (dairy products).  
 Ordinance  on measures to mitigate the 
economic impact of the coronavirus on the 
agricultural sector (AS 2020 1141).  
 
Ordinance  on agricultural imports (AS 
2020 1779, AS 2020 3573).  Import volumes under the tariff quota we re increased by 2,800 
tonnes for the calendar year 2020.  - 
Autonomous increase to tariff quota 
9 (birds' eggs).  Ordinance  on measures to mitigate the 
economic impact of the coronavirus on the 
agricultural sector (AS 2020 1141).  Import volumes under the tariff quota were increased by 1,000 
tonnes for the calendar year 2020.  - 
 
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