SLOVAK REPUBLIK
Logistic and forwarding services in Slovak Republic
Slovakia
Capital City
Bratislava
Population
5.45 Mio
National languages
Slowak
Currency
Euro (EUR)
Gross national product (GNP)
USD 100 Mrd
GNP per person
USD 18‘454
Financial exports to Switzerland
CHF 564 Mio
Financial imports from Switzerland
CHF 875 Mio.
Bilateral relations between Switzerland and Slovakia
Relations between Switzerland and Slovakia are close and unproblematic, especially at the civil society level. Around 13’000 Czechoslovak refugees came to Switzerland following the Prague Spring of 1968.
Economic cooperation
Trade between Switzerland and Slovakia is developing satisfactorily overall. In 2014 imports from Slovakia were CHF 876 million. Meanwhile, Swiss exports to Slovakia stood at CHF 564 million – an increase of 9% over the previous year. The capital stock of Swiss direct investments in Slovenia amounted to approx. CHF 434 million at the end of 2014, up from CHF 945 million in 2013.
Business language
Slovak, German, English, French
Dimensions and weights
Metric system.
Currency
National currency: €
ISO code: EUR
Customs tariff
Harmonised system, customs clearance based on the transaction value.
Import control
EU goods are freely available. Properly signed and stamped invoices (two copies) with all standard information and a signature on the original are required for the customs clearance of non-EU goods.
There is a list of goods for which licences are required held by the Ministry of Economics.
Standard VAT rate: 20% (reduced rate: 10%). Reimbursement of VAT paid is possible.
Terms of payment and tenders
Irrevocable letter of credit on confirmation of the order, also documents against payment. In Slovakia, reservation of title as a means of security is regulated by law. State export guarantees for exports are possible without restrictions (max. credit term 360 days).
Designations of origin
Standard. Various goods must be labelled to indicate their foreign origin (information on this can be provided by the CICs). Prohibition on misleading customers.
Packaging
Many goods are subject to obligations for labelling in Slovak. The EU Directive sets out that packaging materials made of wood must be manufactured from round logs. This EU regulation goes beyond the necessary treatment set out in the ISPM 15 standard.
Product samples
Duty free where there is no retail value.