FAQ frequently asked questions
List of frequently asked questions in the logistics industry in general with answers.IMPORT INTO SWITZERLAND
Declaration of goods Taxation of tradable goods for permanent import into Switzerland Marketable goods are goods intended for resale or commercial use, including at the traveller's or receiver's business. Goods intended for final importation into the Swiss customs...
WHAT IS SMUGGLING?
It is smuggled when the goods are removed from customs control, not declaring them to the same, hiding them or falsifying transport and / or commercial documents. Smuggling can be simple or aggravated (the latter is a criminal offence) and normally involves the...
WHAT IS IDI?
As of January 2011, the IDI: business identification number came into effect. This is a nine-digit, randomly generated identification code (it does not contain any significant information each company) assigned to each company operating in Switzerland. The goal is to...
PAN-EURO-MEDITERRANEAN CUMULUS
Pan-Euro-Mediterranean cumulation represents a free trade system between European and Mediterranean countries. Individual free trade agreements between the states and territories involved are linked in such a way that industrial products originating in a partner state...
EU CUSTOMS CLEARANCE OR CONVENTIONAL IMPORT?
WHAT ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES DOES EU CUSTOMS CLEARANCE OFFER OVER CONVENTIONAL IMPORT INTO THE EU? Advantages: If a European company imports goods from a third country (e.g. Switzerland) in a conventional way and declares these goods for "free circulation" in the...
WHAT ARE THE STATEMENTS THAT THE ITALIAN SUPPLIER IS REQUIRED TO MAKE?
Another crucial aspect concerns the declarations that the exporter is required to make regarding the goods subject to customs clearance. In the first instance, it would always be a good idea to check with your Customs Broker for the correctness of the Customs Item...
WHAT IS THE SHELL?
The OJ is the Official Journal of the European Community, i.e. the document where the Regulations and Directives issued by the European Union Commission are published (The acronym remained unchanged when it passed from the European Community to the European Union).
WHAT IS THE SEIZURE OF GOODS?
The seizure or confiscation of goods is a measure of the judicial authority by which the goods covered by the same are removed from the availability of the owner in order to allow further investigations and prevent them from being used in an unlawful manner. If the...
IS THE DISCHARGE OF THE ITALIAN BUBBLE BINDING?
In this brief paragraph we just want to draw attention to current Customs practice regarding the affixing of the "Telematic Exit Visa": currently Customs, when export goods cross the borders of a state belonging to the EEC, affixes a computerized exit visa that has...
WHAT ARE EC REGULATIONS AND DIRECTIVES?
The simplified acronym CE is instead used to identify Community laws that are regulations or directives. The Regulations are the laws of the European Union and have immediate application throughout its territory from the moment of their publication in the Official...
HOW TO DO IF I HAVE A TRIANGULATION?
If the actual destination of the goods is not to be made known to the shipper, or if the consignee is not to know the origin of the goods, this should be expressly communicated in writing to the shipper. If the consignee instructs the shipper to return the goods to a...
WHAT IS A “GOODS VISIT”?
The goods inspection is a physical inspection through which customs officials verify the correspondence of the goods contained in a shipment with the accompanying documents and with the customs declaration presented at customs. The standard customs inspection is...
HOW DO I CALCULATE THE HEAVY TRAFFIC TAX (TTPCP)?
The performance-related heavy vehicle fee is a federal tax that depends on the total weight of the vehicle, emission level as well as the kilometers driven in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein. It shall be levied on all motor vehicles and their...
WHAT IS THE EUR 1 CERTIFICATE?
The EUR 1 is a certificate that is issued at export to certify that the goods described on the form are of EU origin and production (referred to as "preferential origin") and is issued by Customs upon written application completed by the exporter. The request for the...
WHAT ARE THE VARIOUS CUSTOMS CLEARANCE PROCEDURES IN THE EU?
There are basically two customs clearance procedures that apply to both import and export: - The Standard Assessment Procedure (also known as "in line," with the goods at the customs premises), which is carried out according to the following flow: arrival of the goods...