Can a buyer in Switzerland import from Italy?

• Commercial invoice and packing list

  Core shipment and valuation documents.

  TypicalSupplier

• Transport document

  Bill of lading, air waybill or road consignment note.

  TypicalCarrier

• Customs declaration

  Filed by the importer or a customs representative under the Swiss customs (UID) registration.

  MandatoryBuyer / broker

• Proof of origin

  Format depends on the applicable agreement, if any.

  ConditionalSupplier

• Product compliance evidence

  Depends on the product code and intended use.

  ConditionalSupplier

Typical and mandatory are kept separate. Each requirement names the responsible party.

The same facet states, sources, evidence dates, missing inputs and transaction context as structured JSON.

{
  "schema_version": "trade-route-answer.v1",
  "kind": "trade_route_answer",
  "context_id": "TR-CH-IT-E15D9F",
  "mode": "third_country",
  "transaction": {
    "buyer": {
      "company_id": null,
      "name": "Buyer in Switzerland",
      "country": "CH"
    },
    "supplier": {
      "company_id": null,
      "name": "Supplier in Italy",
      "country": "IT"
    },
    "movement": {
      "ship_from": "IT",
      "origin_country": "IT"
    },
    "goods": {
      "description": null,
      "hs_code": null,
      "end_use": "unknown"
    },
    "payment": {
      "currency": null,
      "bank_jurisdiction": "unknown"
    }
  },
  "verdict": {
    "state": "review",
    "title": "The route is open at country level. Duty, product rules and the supplier remain to be established.",
    "summary": "Switzerland imports from Italy across a customs border. No agreement is on record in our register. Classify the goods and verify the supplier before relying on any number."
  },
  "coverage_summary": "3 established · 3 not checked",
  "facets": [
    {
      "key": "route",
      "state": "established",
      "conclusion": "Third-country import into Switzerland",
      "explanation": "Italy to Switzerland crosses a customs border. A customs declaration is filed on entry and the importer needs a Swiss customs (UID) registration.",
      "scope": "Country route only. Says nothing about the goods or the parties.",
      "missing_inputs": [],
      "sources": [
        {
          "source_id": "customs-id-ch",
          "source_label": "Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG)",
          "source_url": "https://www.bazg.admin.ch/en",
          "observed_at": "2026-07-21",
          "source_as_of": "Import mechanics reviewed 2026-07-21"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "key": "restrictions",
      "state": "established",
      "conclusion": "No country-level sanctions programme on record (Switzerland (SECO), EU)",
      "explanation": "No country-level programme of Switzerland (SECO), EU covers Italy or Switzerland in our sanctions register (register entries reviewed between 2026-05-27 and 2026-10-14). EU binds the supplier itself: a seller established in Italy follows its own export-control and sanctions rules whatever the currency.",
      "scope": "Country-level programmes only; listed persons and entities are screened per company",
      "missing_inputs": [],
      "sources": [
        {
          "source_id": "un-sc-sanctions",
          "source_label": "United Nations Security Council, sanctions information",
          "source_url": "https://main.un.org/securitycouncil/en/sanctions/information",
          "observed_at": "2026-08-27",
          "source_as_of": "Current official programme index"
        },
        {
          "source_id": "ch-seco-sanctions",
          "source_label": "Swiss SECO, sanctions",
          "source_url": "https://www.seco.admin.ch/seco/en/home/Aussenwirtschaftspolitik_Wirtschaftliche_Zusammenarbeit/Wirtschaftsbeziehungen/exportkontrollen-und-sanktionen/sanktionen-embargos.html",
          "observed_at": "2026-08-27",
          "source_as_of": "Current official programme index"
        },
        {
          "source_id": "eu-sanctions-map",
          "source_label": "European Commission, EU Sanctions Map",
          "source_url": "https://www.sanctionsmap.eu/",
          "observed_at": "2026-08-27",
          "source_as_of": "Current official programme index"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "key": "trade_preference",
      "state": "not_checked",
      "conclusion": "No agreement found in our register",
      "explanation": "Our register of blocs and selected bilateral agreements has no entry covering Italy and Switzerland. It is not exhaustive (for example it does not yet hold the EEA, the EU-Switzerland agreements or RCEP), so this is not a finding that no agreement exists or that MFN duty applies; check the WTO database before pricing.",
      "scope": "Our agreement register (13 blocs, selected bilateral FTAs)",
      "missing_inputs": [
        "Check the WTO RTA database for the exact pair",
        "Add the exact HS code"
      ],
      "sources": [
        {
          "source_id": "wto-rta-is",
          "source_label": "WTO, Regional Trade Agreements database",
          "source_url": "https://rtais.wto.org/UI/PublicMaintainRTAHome.aspx",
          "observed_at": "2026-08-27",
          "source_as_of": "Live register of notified agreements"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "key": "vat_and_customs",
      "state": "established",
      "conclusion": "Import VAT 8.1% in Switzerland, Swiss customs (UID) registration required",
      "explanation": "Switzerland charges import VAT of 8.1% on goods plus freight plus duty; the importer clears with a Swiss customs (UID) registration. Duty depends on the HS code and is not stated here.",
      "scope": "Standard rate on a B2B import; reduced rates, deferral schemes and duty are outside this statement",
      "missing_inputs": [
        "Add the exact HS code for the duty rate"
      ],
      "sources": [
        {
          "source_id": "vat-ch",
          "source_label": "FTA Switzerland",
          "source_url": "https://www.estv.admin.ch/estv/en/home/value-added-tax/vat-rates-switzerland.html",
          "observed_at": "2026-07-21",
          "source_as_of": "Standard rate reviewed 2026-07-21"
        },
        {
          "source_id": "customs-id-ch",
          "source_label": "Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG)",
          "source_url": "https://www.bazg.admin.ch/en",
          "observed_at": "2026-07-21",
          "source_as_of": "Import mechanics reviewed 2026-07-21"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "key": "goods",
      "state": "not_checked",
      "conclusion": "Goods not specified",
      "explanation": "Without the exact HS or CN code neither duty nor product rules can be established.",
      "scope": "Product-specific requirements per code",
      "missing_inputs": [
        "Add the exact HS or CN code",
        "Describe the product"
      ],
      "sources": [
        {
          "source_id": "access2markets",
          "source_label": "Access2Markets, My Trade Assistant (tariffs and product requirements by HS code)",
          "source_url": "https://trade.ec.europa.eu/access-to-markets/en/home",
          "observed_at": "2026-08-27",
          "source_as_of": "Live product query required"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "key": "company_screening",
      "state": "not_checked",
      "conclusion": "No supplier company selected",
      "explanation": "Country information cannot establish a supplier identity. Select the exact legal entity to screen it.",
      "scope": "No counterparty in scope",
      "missing_inputs": [
        "Select or establish the exact legal entity"
      ],
      "sources": []
    }
  ],
  "documents": [
    {
      "title": "Commercial invoice and packing list",
      "note": "Core shipment and valuation documents.",
      "responsible_party": "Supplier",
      "requirement": "Typical"
    },
    {
      "title": "Transport document",
      "note": "Bill of lading, air waybill or road consignment note.",
      "responsible_party": "Carrier",
      "requirement": "Typical"
    },
    {
      "title": "Customs declaration",
      "note": "Filed by the importer or a customs representative under the Swiss customs (UID) registration.",
      "responsible_party": "Buyer / broker",
      "requirement": "Mandatory"
    },
    {
      "title": "Proof of origin",
      "note": "Format depends on the applicable agreement, if any.",
      "responsible_party": "Supplier",
      "requirement": "Conditional"
    },
    {
      "title": "Product compliance evidence",
      "note": "Depends on the product code and intended use.",
      "responsible_party": "Supplier",
      "requirement": "Conditional"
    }
  ],
  "next_actions": [
    "company_passport",
    "pre_payment_check",
    "landed_cost",
    "alternative_suppliers",
    "rfq"
  ],
  "human_page": "https://hellofapartner.com/can-i-trade/switzerland/italy"
}