Passar Update August 2026: Import Running in Pilot Phase – and Declar Becomes More Important

Things are getting serious at Passar.

Imports are not yet running across the board via the new system. However, the phase of pure planning is over. The first real imports were already processed via Passar in April and May 2026. The pilot for the first two expansion stages of standard import is currently underway.

For most freight forwarders and customs agents, the following still applies: import customs declarations continue to run via e-dec Import.

An independent switch to Passar Import is currently not possible. The BAZG must approve companies for the pilot. Broad productive use will be announced separately.

However, the direction and deadline are fixed: The last import customs declaration via e-dec Import can be submitted on 30 September 2027. After that, imports must run via Passar.

This often causes confusion.

Passar and Declar are not two competing customs systems.

Passar is the actual goods traffic system of Swiss Customs.

Declar is a free web application from BAZG that builds on these new digital processes. It is primarily aimed at SMEs as well as Swiss and foreign transport companies that do not use their own commercial customs software.

To put it simply:

Passar manages the goods declaration.

Declar can record the transport for it.

Activ accompanies the driver at the border crossing and triggers the activation.

These three components therefore belong together.

Declar is currently also still in the pilot phase. It can only be used by the participating pilot companies.

Today, a transport declaration can be created with Declar. This is linked to one or more existing Passar goods declarations.

After that, a Digital Transport Slip, or DTS for short, can be created.

The DTS can then be loaded via a link to the driver's Activ app or scanned with a smartphone.

At the border crossing, Activ detects the arrival of the vehicle and the prepared goods declaration can be automatically activated. Only with this activation does the goods declaration become legally binding.

The process is simplified as follows:

Goods declaration in Passar → Transport declaration → Declar/DTS → Activ → Border arrival → Activation.

You also need to look carefully at the DTS.

The goal is clear: the digital Transport Slip is intended to replace today's paper waybill or reference slip.

However, this is not yet fully paperless at every border.

The BAZG explicitly points out that drivers must continue to carry the DTS printed out during the transition phase, as most customs authorities in neighboring countries currently require this.

This is important for practice.

Digital therefore does not automatically mean paperless at the moment.

The big step comes in 2027.

Declar is not intended to permanently only create transport declarations.

The BAZG plans that in future, goods declarations for import and export can also be created directly via Declar. This makes Declar the successor to e-dec Web.

The replacement of e-dec Web is planned to take place by the end of the third quarter of 2027.

Here too, 30 September 2027 is considered the decisive deadline: after that, imports should be processed via the new solution.

This is an important point for smaller companies without their own customs software.

Anyone who currently occasionally clears customs themselves via e-dec Web should therefore not only monitor Passar, but especially Declar.

The current standard import does not yet cover every case.

Permits, quotas, customs relief, customs exemptions, or certain special procedures are still partially missing.

These functions will be added in further expansion stages.

The third expansion stage includes, among other things:

• Permits and conditions
• Quotas
• Customs relief
• Use obligations
• Customs exemptions
• Bonded warehouses
• Inward processing
• Immediate payments

Further special procedures and the digitalization of additional paper forms and monitored procedures will follow.

The previous customs process is therefore not simply being replaced one-to-one by a new program.

The entire interaction between goods declaration, transport, vehicle, driver, activation, billing, and documents is changing.