Free Trade Agreement with Switzerland

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Last updated: 18 June 2026Published: 27 January 2026

Source: https://www.seco.admin.ch/seco/de/home/Aussenpolitik/Wirtschaftliche_Zusammenarbeit/Freihandelsabkommen.html

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Definition & Explanation

Swiss exporters and freight forwarders rely on a network of free trade agreements to ship goods at preferential tariff rates into partner markets. A Free Trade Agreement with Switzerland is a binding international treaty that reduces or eliminates tariffs and non-tariff barriers between Switzerland and one or more partner countries, defines rules of origin, and governs customs procedures as well as dispute resolution. Most agreements are negotiated through EFTA; the bilateral agreements with the EU form a separate, particularly significant layer. Each agreement specifies which products qualify for preferential treatment, the required origin criteria – such as a minimum degree of processing or domestic value added – and the documentation needed to claim preference, typically an EUR.1 movement certificate or an origin declaration. For customs practitioners, a correctly stated origin claim directly reduces the importer's landed cost; inaccurate declarations risk duty reassessments or cargo detentions.

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Related Terms

EFTA Free Trade Agreement

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EUR.1 Movement Certificate

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