Swiss companies will have to pay higher duties in the EU if, for example, they act as traders and import products from the United States into Switzerland and then export them to the European Union.
The new import duties have been in effect since June 21, 2018, and concern products such as corn, fruit juice, tobacco, bed linen, steel, iron and screws.
The European Union states this in the regulation:
"The application of additional tariffs on these products is as follows:
- a) In the first stage, as set out in Annex I, additional ad valorem duties of 10% and 25% respectively shall be applied to imports of the products listed in Annex I, as of the entry into force of this regulation.
- b) In the second stage, as set out in Annex II, additional ad valorem duties of 10%, 25%, 35% and 50% respectively shall be applied to imports of the products listed in Annex II, either
- as of June 1, 2021, or
- from the fifth day after the date on which the WTO Dispute Settlement Body makes a decision, or is notified of a decision finding that the US protective measures are incompatible with the relevant provisions of the WTO Agreement, if such a case arises earlier. In the latter case, the Commission shall publish a notice in the Official Journal of the European Union announcing the date of adoption or notification of such a decision."
A detailed overview of the products concerned (including customs tariff number) and the corresponding customs increases can be found in the EU Regulation, which has been published in the Official Journal.
