  
  
G/TFA/N/CHE/2/Rev. 2 
14 June 2023 
(23-4032) Page: 1/5 
Committee on Trade Facilitation  Original:  French  
 
  
NOTIFICATION UNDER  ARTICLES 1.4, 10.4.3, 10.6.2 AND 12.2.2  
OF THE AGREEMENT ON TRADE  FACILITATION  
COMMUNICATION FROM SWITZERLAND  
Revision  
The following communication, dat ed 13 June 2023, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Switzerland . 
 
_______________  
 
 
Switzerland hereby makes the following notifications in accordance with  Articles 1.4, 10.4.3, 10.6.2 
and 12.2.2 of the Trade Facilitation Agreement (WT/L/931).  
 
The purpose of the  updates is to take account  of the following:  
1. Certain  measures adopted by Switzerland in response to the COVID -19 pandemic  remain in 
place. The update  of the  URLs of websites referred to in Article 1.4(a), subparagraphs ( a) and (b), 
and A rticle 1 .4(b). 
Article 1, paragraph 4 (a) 
The official place(s) where the items in subparagraphs 1.1(a) to (j) have been published;  
(a) procedures for importation, exportation, and transit (including port, airport, and other 
entry -point procedures), and required forms and documents ; 
Federal Office for 
Customs and Border 
Security ( FOCBS ) 
guidelines, see section 
"Information companies"  https://www.bazg.admin.ch/bazg/fr/home.html  
 
Information on 
procedures  for 
importation, exportation 
and transit , and on 
required  forms and 
documents  https://www.bazg.admin.ch/bazg/fr/home/informationen -firmen/einfuhr -in-die-
schweiz.html  G/TFA/N/CHE/2/Rev. 2 
 
- 2 - 
 
  Simplification  of customs proce dures : 
Use of priority lanes 
for road t ransport  
(known as "Green 
Lanes ") for certain 
categories of goods  
1.1.2022 
 In the context of the extraordinary circumstances  of the COVID -19 pandemic, the 
Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS) introduced provisions to 
establish priority lanes. This measure remains in force in normal circumstances . 
 
Regulation 10-27 
The "green lanes " established at certain border crossings  for important goods 
(such as  medical products, foodstuffs , mail, fuels, and  packaging material and 
machine parts for the medical and food industries ) remain in place . 
https://bazg.admin.ch/dam/bazg/fr/dokumente/verfahren -
betrieb/Aufgabenvollzug/Dokumentation/R -10%20Zollverfahren/r -10-
27_vorr angige_fahrspuren.pdf.download.pdf/R -10-
27_Vorrangige_Fahrspuren_f.pdf  
 
HS codes  
Medical devices  
Respiration apparatus  
Systems for assessing the condition  and functions of the body  
In vitro d iagnos tics ("COVID -19 tests") 
Surgical masks /OP masks  
Surgical gloves /examination gloves  
Medical oxygen  
Infusion solutions  
Personal protective equipment  
Surgical masks  
Protective masks  
Single -use gloves  
Gowns  
Protective clothing  
Protective g oggle s 
Hand sanitizer  
Surface disinfectant  
Hygiene items for intensive care  medicine  (such as medical absorbent  mats, 
diaper s, faecal  management systems , and oral and throat hygiene  items ) 
Medicines  
Chapter 30 
Foodstuffs  
Chapters 1 to 23, excluding goods containing alcohol and manufactured tobacco  
Fuel of all kinds  
Chapter 27 
Machin ery and spare parts  
Only if they are to be used in the medical and food industries  
Packaging material  
Only if it is to be used in the medical and food industries  
Letter and pa rcel post  
In accordance with the Universal Postal Convention  
Simplification of 
customs procedures : 
Advance customs 
declaration  
 
 Regulation 10-00 
Customs declarant s may carry out Swiss clearance formalities  prior to the arrival 
of the  mode of  transport . To do so , customs declarant s send a pre -declaration. 
This is equivalent to a final custom s declaration, the only difference being that it is 
sent prior to the arrival of the consignment , so that it is easier for goods to cross 
the border at off-peak times . 
https://bazg.admin.ch/dam/bazg/fr/dokumente/verfahren -
betrieb/Aufgabenvollzug/Dokumentation/R -10%20Zollverfahren/R -10-
00%20Einfuhrzollveranlagungsverfahren.pdf.download.pdf/R -10-00.pdf  
Electronic 
communication  
 
 E-Begleitdokument and E-Com 
https://www.bazg.admin.ch/bazg/fr/home/services/services -firmen/services -
firmen_einfuhr -ausfuhr -durchfuhr/e -begleitdokument_e -com.html  G/TFA/N/CHE/2/Rev. 2 
 
- 3 - 
 
  Simplification of 
export procedures 
(Libero Export)  
 
DATE : 1.1.2022  
 Regulation R-10-26 
The "Libero Export " procedure, which simplifie s export procedure s at border 
customs offices, has recently been introduced across Switzerland (as far as is 
logistically possible ). The customs declarant  selects the export customs declaration 
and may export consignments selected as "free" without carrying out additional 
Swiss customs formalities . The submission of customs documents  to Swiss 
windows , as well as the resulting  waiting times , will thus gradually be eliminated . 
https://bazg.admin.c h/dam/bazg/fr/dokumente/verfahren -
betrieb/Aufgabenvollzug/Dokumentation/R -10%20Zollverfahren/r -10-
26_libero_export.pdf.download.pdf/R -10-26_Libero_Export_f.pdf  
(b) applied rates of duties and taxes of any kind imposed on or in connection with importation or 
exportation ; 
Publications Customs 
Tariff - Tares  www.tares.ch  
WTO Tariff Analysis 
Online facility  https://tao.wto.org/welcome.aspx?ReturnUrl=/&ui=2   
Fact sheets for 
companies  https://www.bazg.admin.ch/bazg/fr/home/documentation/publications.html  
(c) fees and charges imposed by or for governmental agencies on or in connection with importation, 
exportation or transit ; 
SR 631.035;  
Ordinance on Federal 
Office for Customs and 
Border Security (FOCBS) 
fees https://www.admin.ch/opc/fr/classified -compilation/20070442/index.html  
(d) rules for the classification or valuation of products for customs purposes ; 
Publications Customs 
Tariff - Tares  www.tares.ch  
(e) laws, regulations, and administrative rulings of general application relating to rules of origin ; 
GSP – Rules of Origin 
Ordinance  https://www.bazg.admin.ch/bazg/fr/home/dokumentation/rechtsgrundlagen/freih
andelsabkommen --entwicklungslaender --aps-gps-.html 
Non-preferential o rigin https://www.bazg.admin.ch/bazg/fr/h ome/dokumentation/rechtsgrundlagen/recht
liche-grundlagen -fuer-den-nicht-praeferenziellen -ursprung.html  
Free trade agreements, 
preferential tariffs and 
origin of goods  https://www.bazg.admin.ch/bazg/fr/home/dokumentation/richtlinien/d -30-
freihandelsabkommen --zollpraeferenzen -und-warenursprung.html  
(f) import, export or transit restrictions or prohibitions ; 
See QR notification  G/MA/QR/N/CHE/1  
(g) penalty provisions for breaches of import, export, or transit formalities ; 
Customs Law, penal  
provisions  https://www.admin.ch/opc/fr/classified -compilation/20030370/index.html#id -8 
(h) procedures for appeal or review ; 
Information on app eals https://www.bazg.admin.ch/bazg/fr/home/services/kontakt -
oeffnungszeiten/beschwerdeweg.html  G/TFA/N/CHE/2/Rev. 2 
 
- 4 - 
 
  (i) agreements or parts thereof with any country or countries relating to importation, exportation, 
or transit ; 
Free Trade Agreements  https://www.seco.admin.ch/seco/fr/home/Aussenwirtschaftspolitik_Wirtschaftliche
_Zusammen arbeit/Wirtschaftsbeziehungen/Freihandelsabkommen.html  
Tariff preferences and 
preferential origins  https://www.bazg.admin.ch/bazg/fr/home/informationen -firmen/ einfuhr -in-die-
schweiz/befreiungen -verguenstigungen -und-zollpraeferenzen_einfuhr/freihandel --
praeferenzieller -ursprung.html  
Law on the collection of 
duties  https://www.admin.ch/opc/fr/classified -compilation/0.63.html  
(j) procedures relating to the administration of tariff quotas ; 
Federal Office for 
Customs and Border 
Security (FOCBS) , see 
Tariff Quotas  https://www.bazg.admin.ch/bazg/fr/home/informationen -firmen/einfuhr -in-die-
schweiz/befreiungen -verguenstigungen -und-
zollpraeferenzen_einfuhr/zollkontingente.html  
 
Federal Office for 
Agriculture, see Tariff 
Quotas  https://www.blw.admin.ch/blw/fr/home/markt/einfuhr -von-agrarprodukten.html  
Legal basis for tariff 
quotas  https://www.bazg.admin.ch/bazg/fr/home/dokumentation/rechtsgrundlagen/nicht
zollrechtliche -aufgaben/zollkontingente.html  
See AG notifications  G/AG/N/CHE/13/Add.17  and G/AG/N/CHE/13/Add.18  
Article 1, paragraph 4 (b) 
The Uniform Resource Locators of website(s) referred to in paragraph 2. 1; 
A description of its procedures for importation, exportation, and transit, including procedures for 
appeal or review, that informs governments, traders, and other interested parties of the practical 
steps needed for importation, exportation, and transit ; 
Federal Office for 
Customs and Border 
Security (FOCBS), 
guidelines, see section 
"Information companies"  https://www.bazg.admin.ch/bazg/fr/home.html?_organization=606  
 
Information on 
procedures for 
importation, exportation 
and transit, and on 
required forms and 
documents  Importing into Switzerland: 
https://www.bazg.admin.ch/bazg/fr/home/informationen -firmen/einfuhr -in-die-
schweiz.html   
 
Exporting from Switzerland: 
https://www.bazg.admin.ch/bazg/fr/home/informationen -firmen/ausfuhr -aus-der-
schweiz.html  
 
Transit through Switzerland:  
https://www.bazg.admin.ch/bazg/fr/home/informationen -firmen/durchfuhr -durch -
die-schweiz.html  
Information on appeals  https://www.bazg.admin.ch/bazg/fr/home/services/kontakt -
oeffnungszeiten/beschwerdeweg.html  
The forms and documents required for importation into, exportation from, or transit through the 
territory of that Member ; 
Federal Office for 
Customs and Border 
Security (FOCBS), 
guidelines , see section 
"Information companies " https://www.bazg.admin.ch/bazg/fr/home.html?_organization=606  
 G/TFA/N/CHE/2/Rev. 2 
 
- 5 - 
 
  Information on 
procedures for 
importation, exportation 
and transit, and on 
required forms and 
documents  Importing into Switzerland: 
https://www.bazg.admin.ch/bazg/fr/home/informationen -firmen/einfuhr -in-die-
schweiz.html   
 
Exporting from Switzerland: 
https://www.bazg.admin.ch/bazg/fr/home/informationen -firmen/ausfuhr -aus-der-
schweiz.html  
 
Transit through Switzerland  : 
https://www.bazg.admin.ch/bazg/fr/home/informationen -firmen/durchfuhr -durch -
die-schweiz.html  
Article 1, paragraph 4 (c) 
Contact information on its enquiry point(s);  
Contact page of the 
Federal Office for 
Customs and Border 
Security (FOCBS)  https://www.bazg.admin.ch/bazg/ fr/home/services/kontakt -oeffnungszeiten.html  
Article 10, paragraph 4.3  
Members shall notify the Committee of the details of operation of the single window . 
 
Information on Switzerland's single window operations . 
 
In Switzerland, there is basically only one governmental authority present at the border: the Federal 
Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS) . The FOCBS,  besides being responsible for the 
correct levy of the customs dutie s, is responsibl e for the enforcement of about 150 decrees 
concerning non -customs laws. The duties are amongst others: formal checks of goods, release of 
goods only after submission of a permit (issued by another authority) or refusal of import or export 
of certain goods.  
 
Switzerland operates a one-stop shop at all its Customs offices with a physical single window that is 
supported to a very large extent by ICT. A fully fledged electronic single window will be put in place 
in the coming years. For more information please refer to:  
 
https://www.bazg.admin.ch/bazg/fr/home/themes/dazit.html  
Article 10, paragraph 6.2  
Each Member shall notify the Committee and publish its m easures on the use of customs brokers . 
In Switzerland, there is no obligation to use a customs broker.  
See Article 26 of the Customs Law 
https://www.admin.ch/opc/fr/classified -compilation/20030370/index.html  
 
In liaison with  Article 75 of the Customs Ordinance  
https://www.admin.ch/opc/fr/classified -compilation/20052713/index.html  
Article 12, paragraph 2.2  
Each Member shall notify the Committee of the detail s of its contact point for the exchange of this  
information . 
 
Federal Office for Customs and Border Security  
Prosecution  
Taubenstrasse 16  
3003 Bern  
stv.iarh@bazg.admin.ch  
______ ____  