Switzerland-Greece freight: shipping and customs clearance

Switzerland–Greece freight: services and trade framework

Greece is a trading partner of Switzerland in south-eastern Europe, with Piraeus as a strategic maritime hub in the eastern Mediterranean. The country serves as a gateway to the Middle Eastern and south-eastern European markets.

Bilateral CH–Greece trade is concentrated in the pharmaceutical, chemical and machinery sectors. As an EU member, it benefits from the CH–EU agreements.

Services offered by Franzosini SA for Greece

• Road transport FTL/LTL
• RoRo ferry via Italy
• Customs clearance
• Distribution

Specific regulations and requirements

• EFET: food products authorisation
• EOF: pharmaceutical registration
• Mandatory labelling in Greek
• Islands: reduced VAT regime for the Aegean islands

Trade framework and agreements

• Switzerland–EU Bilateral Agreements (Bilaterals I and II)
• PEM Convention (Pan-Euro-Mediterranean) for origin cumulation
• EFTA–EU Free Trade Agreement (1972)
• TIR Convention for customs transit

EU duties and preferential origin

The EU Common Customs Tariff (TARIC) applies. Industrial products of Swiss preferential origin may benefit from zero ordinary customs duty under the applicable agreement and with valid proof of origin. Specific tariff concessions must be checked for agricultural and food products. Quotas, trade-defence measures and other charges must still be checked against the commodity code and origin: proof of preferential origin does not automatically remove these measures. Piraeus is a container hub in the eastern Mediterranean.