1.

Notifying Member: SWITZERLAND

If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):

2.

Agency responsible:

Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO)

Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:

State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO

Holzikofenweg 36

3003 Berne

tbt@seco.admin.ch

www.seco.admin.ch

3.

Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [ ], 5.6.2 [ ], 5.7.1 [ ], 3.2 [ ], 7.2 [ ], other:

4.

Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): MEAT AND EDIBLE MEAT OFFAL (HS code(s): 02); EDIBLE VEGETABLES AND CERTAIN ROOTS AND TUBERS (HS code(s): 07); EDIBLE FRUIT AND NUTS; PEEL OF CITRUS FRUIT OR MELONS (HS code(s): 08)

5.

Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Ordinance on Foodstuffs and Utility Articles / Ordinance on Beverages / Ordinance on Information on Foodstuffs / Ordinance on the Lists of Countries Provided for in the Ordinance on Foodstuffs and Utility Articles; (19 page(s), in French), (19 page(s), in German)

6.

Description of content: The proposal provides for mandatory labelling of animal products that are produced using pain-causing procedures without analgesia. The guiding principles of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) in the area of animal welfare are used as a benchmark for the labelling requirement. Furthermore, a labelling obligation is provided for plant products that originate from a country in which the use of plant protection products listed in Annex III of the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade (hereinafter Rotterdam Convention; SR 0.916.21) is not prohibited.

In addition, for the labelling of wine and the indication of origin of food ingredients, Swiss law will be adapted to that of the EU in order to reduce barriers to trade. With regard to wine, a list of ingredients and a nutrition declaration will in future be mandatory for all wines, sparkling wines and semi-sparkling wines. This information can also be provided electronically. With regard to the labelling of the origin of quantitatively important ingredients, the requirement will apply in future irrespective of the presentation of the product, but instead of the country of origin also a larger geographical area can be indicated.

7.

Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable: Animal welfare; Consumer information, labelling

8.

Relevant documents:

Links to ordinances currently in force:

Ordinance on Foodstuffs and Utility Articles

Ordinance on Beverages

Ordinance on Information on Foodstuffs

Link to relevant EU Regulations to which Swiss law is adapted:

REGULATION (EU) No 1169/2011

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/775

Regulation (EU) 2021/2117

Link to regulatory impact assessment on the introduction of declaration obligations and import restrictions for animal and plant products - Final report (in German with French summary)

9.

Proposed date of adoption: 22 April 2025

Proposed date of entry into force: 1 July 2025; After entry into force there will be a two-year transition period.

10.

Final date for comments: 60 days from notification

11.

Texts available from: National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:

State Secretariate for Economic Affairs SECO

Holzikofenweg 36, 3003 Bern

Switzerland

E-mail: tbt@seco.admin.ch

https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2024/TBT/CHE/24_02596_01_f.pdf

https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2024/TBT/CHE/24_02596_02_f.pdf

https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2024/TBT/CHE/24_02596_03_f.pdf