Includes information on average tariff rates and types that U.S. firms should be aware of when exporting to the market.
Last Published: 2/14/2019

Swiss customs duties are generally "specific" rather than "ad valorem.” Duties vary according to the item imported.  Swiss customs use the Harmonized System (HS) for the classification of goods. Customs duties are levied per 100 kilograms of gross weight, unless some other method of calculation is specified in the tariff (e.g., per unit, per meter, per liter). The gross dutiable weight includes the actual weight of the goods and their packaging, including the weight of any fixing material and supports on which the goods are placed. More information in English can be found on the homepage of the Swiss Customs Office (Eidgenössische Zollverwaltung, https://www.ezv.admin.ch/ezv/en/home.html).

Switzerland tends to impose low tariff rates on overall imports, with an average 2016 rate of 6.3%. While non-agricultural goods only faced an average tariff rate of 1.7% in 2016, duties of 34.2% were applied to agricultural goods, and animal and dairy products saw tariffs of 110% and 133.2%, respectively. Agricultural goods such as tropical fruits and nuts, which are not produced domestically in Switzerland, usually have lower tariffs.

For detailed information in English on tariff rates on a good from a given country, please consult the Swiss Customs-Tares database.
 

Prepared by the International Trade Administration. With its network of more than 100 offices across the United States and in more than 75 markets, the International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.