Switzerland is one of the most economically developed countries in the world. It is located in the center of Western Europe, surrounded by Italy, Austria, France, Germany. Most of the territory is occupied by mountains. Trade and economic relations between Switzerland and Russia are quite active. In 2020, the trade turnover amounted to more than 5.5 billion US dollars. The country ranks 20th in terms of its share in Russian imports.

Features of import from Switzerland

Swiss watches, knives, chocolate, medicines are in demand all over the world and in Russia. Because Swiss products have established themselves as high quality and reliable. In addition to the listed goods, Russia imports from Switzerland tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, perfumes, and food products. Each category of goods is customs cleared according to certain rules, accompanied by a package of documents that are specific to this type of goods.

There are some nuances in the customs clearance of food products, tobacco products, alcohol, perfumery, products containing precious metals and stones:

1. Food products. The food embargo imposed by Russia in 2014 allowed Switzerland to increase the supply of food products to Russia. The country did not fall under the sanctions. However, due to a decrease in the purchasing power of Russians, the demand for high-quality, but also expensive, products from Switzerland has also decreased. If we talk about the peculiarities of customs clearance, fruits and vegetables imported into the Russian Federation must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate, and Swiss cheeses must be accompanied by a veterinary certificate. This rule, accordingly, applies to other plant and veterinary products. The full list of products for which a permit is required is enshrined in the decision of the the Customs Union Commission dated June 18, 2010 No. 318 "On ensuring plant quarantine in the Eurasian Economic Union" and the order of the Ministry of Agriculture dated December 18, 2015 No. 648.

2. Tobacco products are cleared through customs at the posts belonging to the Excise Customs. Excise stamps are applied to the packaging, which are purchased and glued in advance, before customs clearance. In addition, according to the new rules, tobacco products must be marked with special control and measuring marks that allow tracking the movement of products from supplier to consumer.

3. Alcoholic drinks from 2021 must be labeled with special federal stamps, and not excise stamps, as it was before. The new marking contains information from the EGAIS system. The rule does not apply to beer and beer drinks, mead, cider, Poiret.

4. Products containing precious metals and stones must be cleared through customs at the customs posts of the Central Excise Customs. The same goes for serial batches of watches.

5. Perfumery products must have a quality mark. When transporting some perfumery goods, a certain temperature regime and humidity level are observed. Some types of perfumery are excisable, licensed, and sometimes it is still necessary to issue a State Registration Certificate.
   

Note! Before importing branded products, you must request a special permission from the manufacturer.

Features of export to Switzerland

Metals, precious stones, foodstuffs, and chemical products are mainly exported to Switzerland. All these categories of goods are processed in a special way and are carefully checked at customs.

1. Food products are accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate. It is valid for 14 days. If it is cereals, then the export duty may be paid. It is possible to provide tariff quotas, compensations. A certificate is required, which is issued by the State Bread Inspectorate or its representative offices. GMO wheat is accompanied by SRC.

2. The export of precious metals and stones requires a license from the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation. They must be branded and accompanied by a certificate. The export of nuggets is quoted. The export of scrap or precious metal ores is prohibited. In addition, strict safety precautions must be followed during transport. Customs clearance is carried out at specialized customs posts.

3. Chemicals are most often classified as hazardous and therefore require a safety certificate. Additional requirements are imposed if the product contains narcotic substances, ethyl alcohol.

Categories and types of exported and imported goods

In the export direction, goods worth almost USD 3 billion were transported from Russia to Switzerland. Top places in the export structure were taken by the following products:

• metals and metal products - 34.84% (TN VED 72-83);

• precious stones and metals - 34.37% (TN VED 71);

• mineral products - 20.45% (TN VED 25-27);

• chemical products - 6.35% (TN VED 28–40);

• food products - 2.01% (TN VED 01-24);

• equipment and transport - 1.10% (TN VED 84-90). 

In 2020, there was an increase in the supply of pearls, precious stones, metals and products from them, nickel, ore, fertilizers and cereals (TN VED 10, 26, 31, 71, 75). The export from Russia to Switzerland of mineral fuel and oil products, copper, aluminum, base metals decreased (TN VED 27, 74, 76, 81).

The value of imported products was $ 2.7 billion. From this:

• chemical products - 47.60% (TN VED 28-40);

• equipment and transport - 29.27% ​​(TN VED 84-90);

• agricultural raw materials and food products - 10.28% (TN VED 01-24);

• metals and metal products - 3.18% (TN VED 72-83). 

In 2020, more organic chemistry, finished flour products, electrical equipment, food products, various instruments, including medical and surgical ones, began to be imported into Russia (TN VED 19, 21, 29, 85, 90). But the import of pharmaceutical products of cermets, inorganic chemistry, and famous Swiss watches (TN VED 28, 30, 81, 84, 91) decreased.

Peculiarities of cargo transportation on the route Switzerland-Russia

For the transportation of various types of products, specific requirements have been developed. For example, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, confectionery, dairy products are transported in refrigerated trucks. Expensive products, branded cosmetics, watches are imported in small batches, so it is convenient to transport consignments of goods as part of groupage cargo. Bulky equipment or large consignments of goods are transported with general cargo. Thus, the optimal cost of transportation is achieved.

Switzerland is landlocked, so no shipping method is used. Goods are transported by land and air. The use of cars and trains is possible. But movement by rail is rarely carried out, because in Switzerland and Russia there are different gauges, which means that the cargo will have to be reloaded, and this is an extra cost. Usually, goods are loaded into trucks and transported to the Central Federal District, and from there they are transported by rail to their destination.

Benefits of air transportation

Air transportation is used to transport jewelry, Swiss watches, premium goods. Since these products are initially expensive, the relatively high cost of air delivery has little effect on the price of the product.

Switzerland has 5 international airports:

• Geneva;

• Zurich;

• Basel;

• Berne;

• Zion.
  

Delivery time depends on the transportation scheme: groupage or general cargo. General cargo is prepared for shipment faster. Urgent general cargo can be delivered within 24 hours. Groupage cargo is consolidated in the warehouse, it takes up to 5 days.

SB Cargo is an IATA accredited cargo agent, so with us it is cheaper, easier, faster to transport goods from Switzerland or in the opposite direction. We work directly with air carriers and can offer more favorable air transportation rates.

Customs clearance

The place of customs clearance is selected according to the way of delivery. Cargo delivered by road undergoes actual customs control at automobile checkpoints on the border with the Baltic countries, Poland, Belarus or at international Russian airports, for example, Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo. Moreover, the declaration is submitted not at the place of actual control, but at the Electronic Declaration Centers. The cargo can be located at the border temporary storage warehouse, and the declaration can be submitted to the CED of another region.

The terms of customs clearance depend on the correctness of filling out the documents, cargo. Usually it does not exceed a day. Clearance is delayed if an adjustment of customs value is assigned, there are not enough documents, errors were made in the declaration, the weight of the cargo does not coincide with the real one, and so on.

SB Cargo specialists will undertake customs clearance of any cargo in any customs regime. You can also use the import support service, which involves the provision of a range of services, including certification, control over the shipment of goods, organizing logistics, and obtaining permits. For all questions, please contact us by phone.