# Swiss Exports End Dry Spell – Strong Second Quarter Driven by Pharma **Category:** Country Report | **Source:** Frachtportal Redaktion | **Published:** 2026-07-30 | **Updated:** 2026-08-02 **Tags:** Schweiz, Aussenhaldel, Exporte, Importe, Handelsbilanz, BAZG, Chemie, Pharma, Zollabwicklung, Luftfracht, Transport, Logistik News, Transport News, Fracht News, Speditions News, Supply Chain News, Zoll News, Frachtportal News, Seefracht, Digitalisierung, Zoll > Swiss exports rose 8.8 percent in the second quarter of 2026 to 73.2 billion francs. For logistics, this is a positive signal, though real growth remained modest. --- Swiss foreign trade showed a significant recovery in the second quarter of 2026. After four consecutive declining quarters, seasonally adjusted exports rose nominally by 8.8 percent compared to the first quarter, reaching 73.2 billion francs. This represents the third-highest quarterly value in Swiss foreign trade statistics. However, price-adjusted growth was considerably lower at 0.6 percent. Imports also increased. They rose nominally by 4.9 percent and in real terms by 1.5 percent to 59.3 billion francs. The trade balance surplus amounted to 13.9 billion francs. In the second quarter of 2025, it was still 15.8 billion francs. The surplus remains high but falls below the prior-year quarter. The main driver of the export recovery was again the chemical and pharmaceutical industry. Their exports increased compared to the previous quarter by 15.2 percent, or approximately 5.1 billion francs. Antisera, vaccines, and pharmaceutical products showed particularly strong growth. Machinery, electronics, and electricity exports also increased. Watch exports, by contrast, declined slightly. The regional picture was mixed. Exports to North America rose by 21.8 percent, those to the USA by 21.5 percent. Asia increased by 6.8 percent. In Europe, however, Swiss exports stagnated with an increase of just 0.3 percent. Higher shipments to Germany, France, and Belgium were offset by declines to Italy, Austria, and Slovenia. For imports, nearly all major commodity groups recorded increases. Approximately half of the import growth came from chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Imports from China increased by 13.2 percent, or 628 million francs. --- For freight forwarders and customs agents, the development is fundamentally positive. More foreign trade means more customs declarations, more transport orders, and better capacity utilization of cross-border traffic. Nevertheless, the figures should not be equated directly with freight tonnage. Pharmaceutical products have a high commodity value but often relatively low weight. Strong export growth in Swiss francs therefore does not automatically lead to correspondingly more pallets, containers, or trucks. The development is most likely to be felt in pharma air freight, temperature-controlled transport, customs clearance, and high-value express shipments. In European traffic, however, the situation remains subdued. Dispatchers should therefore continue to plan by industry and trade route and not assume a general upturn. In short: Swiss exports are back in growth, but the expansion is coming primarily from the pharmaceutical industry and not yet from the entire economy. --- The BAZG press release was published on July 21, 2026. Exports increased nominally by 8.8 percent compared to the previous quarter. The export value reached 73.227 billion francs. This was the third-highest quarterly value in history. In real terms, exports increased by only 0.6 percent. Imports rose nominally by 4.9 percent to 59.302 billion francs. In real terms, imports grew by 1.5 percent. The trade surplus amounted to 13.925 billion francs. Chemicals and pharmaceuticals increased exports by 15.2 percent, or 5.141 billion francs. Exports to the USA increased by 21.5 percent. ## Related Entities ### Countries - [Switzerland](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/ch) ### Airports - [EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg (BSL)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/euroairport-basel-mulhouse-freiburg-airport-bsl) - [Geneva Cointrin International Airport (GVA)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/geneva-cointrin-international-airport-gva) - [Zürich Airport (ZRH)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/zuerich-airport-zrh) ### Glossary - [Export](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/export) - [Import](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/import) - [Export](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/export-2) - [Import](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/import-2) - [Goods](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/goods) - [foreign trade statistics](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/foreign-trade-statistics) - [external trade indicator](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/external-trade-indicator) - [foreign trade analysis](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/foreign-trade-analysis) - [BAZG Basic Service](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/bazg-basic-service) - [BAZG data storage](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/bazg-data-storage) - [Balance of Trade](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/balance-of-trade) - [BAZG (Federal Office for Customs and Border Security)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/bazg-federal-office-for-customs-and-border-security) --- *Canonical URL: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/news/schweizer-exporte-beenden-durststrecke-starkes-zweites-quartal-dank-pharma-20260730183043](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/news/schweizer-exporte-beenden-durststrecke-starkes-zweites-quartal-dank-pharma-20260730183043)* *Markdown mirror: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/news/en/schweizer-exporte-beenden-durststrecke-starkes-zweites-quartal-dank-pharma-20260730183043](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/news/en/schweizer-exporte-beenden-durststrecke-starkes-zweites-quartal-dank-pharma-20260730183043)*