Federal Council for administrative assistance in customs area with US

Bern, 05.09.2018 - During its meeting on 5 September 2018, the Federal Council took note of the results of the consultation procedure on an administrative assistance agreement in the customs area with the US. It decided to continue the negotiations on the agreement provided the Foreign Affairs Committees of the Federal Assembly agree.

A consultation was carried out on a draft mutual administrative assistance agreement in the customs area with the US in 2017. The Federal Council took note of the results and decided on the next steps during its meeting on 5 September 2018. The draft agreement in its present form is rejected or at least viewed critically by most business associations and seven cantons.

Continuation of negotiations

The Federal Council has nevertheless decided to continue the negotiations provided the Foreign Affairs Committees agree to an adjusted negotiation mandate. In doing so, it was guided by the following considerations: secure supply chains are very important for the international movement of goods. Such supply chains are associated with controls unless there are agreements between the individual states on the mutual recognition of customs security measures which provide for simpler controls. Both Switzerland and the US are familiar with such measures (authorised economic operator or Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism).

A corresponding agreement between Switzerland and the US does not exist at present and is not currently considered necessary. From the US perspective, however, an agreement on the mutual recognition of customs security measures is worth considering only if there is also an administrative assistance agreement in the customs area. The Federal Council believes it is important to continue the negotiations on an administrative assistance agreement in the customs area in order to safeguard the long-term possibility of negotiations on an agreement on the mutual recognition of customs security measures. As part of the further negotiations, improvements are to be made to the text of the agreement in line with the opinions of the consultation participants.


Address for enquiries

David Marquis, Deputy Head of Communications,
Federal Customs Administration FCA
Tel. 058 462 67 43, medien@ezv.admin.ch



Publisher

The Federal Council
https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start.html

Federal Department of Finance
https://www.efd.admin.ch/efd/en/home.html

https://www.admin.ch/content/gov/en/start/documentation/media-releases.msg-id-72047.html