STATE TRADING
NEW AND FULL NOTIFICATION PURSUANT TO ARTICLE
XVII:4(A) OF THE
GATT 1994 AND PARAGRAPH 1 OF THE
UNDERSTANDING ON
THE INTERPRETATION OF ARTICLE XVII
Switzerland
The following communication,
dated 10 September 2020, is being circulated at the request of the delegation
of Switzerland.
_______________
Pursuant
to Article XVII:4(a) of the GATT 1994 and paragraph 1 of the Understanding on
the Interpretation of Article XVII, and in response to the call for
notifications set forth in document G/STR/N/18, Switzerland submits the
following new and full notification of its state trading enterprises for the
years 2018 and 2019.
I. ENUMERATION
OF STATE TRADING ENTERPRISES
Until
31 December 2018: Swiss Alcohol Board, through its profit centre
"alcosuisse"; Federal Department of Finance.
"Alcosuisse"
has been acquired by "Thommen Furler" and thus privatized as of 30
June 2018. The import monopoly of ethanol containing over 80% by volume was
lifted on 31 December 2018.
II. REASON
AND PURPOSE
The
Alcohol Legislation, which is concerned with the manufacture, rectification and
import of spirits and ethanol, was established in Switzerland for public health
reasons.
It
is based on Article 105 of the Federal Constitution, which gives the Federation
the sole right to legislate in this field. Pursuant to that constitutional
basis, the Federal Assembly promulgated the Federal Law on Alcohol of 21 June
1932. This legislation aims at reducing the production and consumption of
spirits.
III. DESCRIPTION
OF THE FUNCTIONING OF THE STATE TRADING ENTERPRISE
The
private sector is allowed to import ethanol and spirits containing not more
than 80 per cent by volume without restriction and without any permit. The
taxes, fixed by the Federal Council, have to be paid on imported goods as well
as on the domestic production.
For
control reasons, the Swiss Confederation, through "alcosuisse", a
profit centre of the Alcohol Board, is entitled to import ethanol whose
alcohol content exceeds 80% by volume. However, imports by the private sector
are possible subject to prior authorization by the Alcohol Board.