WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/REG94/R/B/1
G/L/360
14 April 2000
(00-1516)
Original:  English
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES AND SWITZERLAND
Biennial Report on the Operation of the Agreement
Communication from the Parties
The report below presents the information rece ived from the Permanent Delegation of the
European Commission, dated 21 March 2000.  It is organized in accordance to the Standard Format
for Information on Regional Trade Agreements (WT/REG/W/6).
_______________
I. BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE AGREEMENT
1. Membership and Dates of Signature, Ratification and Entry into Force
Since 1994, the Principality of Liechtenstein participates in the European Economic Area
(EEA).  Trade relations between the EC and Liechte nstein were previously governed by additional
agreements which were examined in 1973 by th e same GATT Working Party which examined the
EC/Switzerland free trade agreement.1
2. Type of Agreement
The agreement is unchanged.
4. Trade Data
The Annex presents information on the development of trade between the EC and
Switzerland.  Trade flows be tween the EC and Liechtenstein are also included.
II. TRADE PROVISIONS
1. Import Restrictions &
2. Export Restrictions
All transitional periods associated with the establishment of the free-trade area between
Switzerland and the EC have long been complete d.  All trade in non-agricultural products is
conducted free of duty and quantitative restrictions (as has been the case since the mid-1980s).  There
has been no change to the arrangements governing trade in agricultural products, which are set out in
the relevant Protocols.
                                                     
1 BISD 20S/196.WT/REG94/R/B/1
G/L/360
Page 2
3. Rules of Origin
Protocol 3 of the agreement concerning the rules of origin was amended as of 1 January 1997
to allow Switzerland to participate in the system of European cumulation of origin.  An Additional
Protocol on mutual administrative assistance in custom matters entered into force on 1 July 1997.
8. Sector-Specific Provisions
Seven sectoral agreements between the EC and Switzerland were signed on 21 June 1999.  Of
these, the agreements on the mutual recognition of conformity assessment, on certain aspects of
public procurement and on trade in agricultural products are relevant in the context of this report.  Thepurpose of the agreement on trade in agricultural products is to liberalise bilateral trade in certain
products, in addition to that already provided for in the existing agreements.  These seven agreements
will have to be ratified in Switzerland and in the European Union and are expected to enter into force
in 2001.
9. Other
Following the rejection of Switzerland’s participation in the EEA by public referendum in
1992, Switzerland endeavours to autonomously adapt its internal legislation to EU standards.WT/REG94/R/B/1
G/L/360
Page 3ANNEX2
Table 1 - EU Imports from World and Switzerland/Liechtenstein, 1980-1998
(Million ECU)
S I T C : 0123456789 T O T A L
1980 (EU 9)
      World 23,908 1,929 27,501 85,384 1,579 11,374 37,648 37,853 22,176 20,502 269,853
      Switz./Liecht. 288 58 320 217 8 1,736 2,497 3,068 2,025 4,908 15,124
1984 (EU 10)
      World 33,643 2,810 36,139 107,594 2,803 19,968 48,969 71,432 34,537 24,205 382,100
      Switz./Liecht. 430 169 443 353 13 3,405 3,832 4,515 3,207 5,077 21,444
1988 (EU 12)
      World 32,221 2,152 35,752 47,393 1,499 25,067 59,078 106,689 49,968 27,937 387,757
      Switz./Liecht. 589 40 509 311 11 5,327 4,556 7,990 4,805 5,316 29,454
1992 (EU 12)
      World 34,580 3,215 32,218 65,183 1,748 33,888 69,355 146,277 76,771 23,900 487,135
       Switz./Liecht. 743 35 536 323 13 7,436 5,296 9,834 6,070 4,670 34,955
1996 (EU 15)
      World 41,305 3,599 34,829 75,910 2,423 44,328 75,479 189,056 93,962 20,131 581,065
      Switz./Liecht. 945 55 626 338 10 10,550 9,062 12,027 7,120 2,422 43,182
1997 (EU 15)
      World 44,248 4,072 40,131 85,155 2,554 51,485 87,685 229,346 108,779 17,690 672,413
      Switz./Liecht. 950 73 712 374 8 11,083 9,394 12,627 7,079 2,389 45,706
1998 (EU 15)
      World 45,198 4,458 39,370 64,843 2,891 55,290 94,672 264,153 116,092 22,676 709,643
      Switz./Liecht. 994 72 682 367 8 11,711 9,548 14,759 7,589 3,221 49,894
                                                     
2 The source of all the tables is Eurostat (COMEXT).WT/REG94/R/B/1
G/L/360
Page 4Table 2 - EU Exports to World and Switzerland/Liechtenstein, 1980-1998
(Million ECU)
S I T C : 0123456789 T O T A L
1980 (EU 9)
      World 13,662 3,422 4,327 10,071 717 23,228 46, 455 84,154 21,333 13,716 221,084
      Switz./Liecht. 821 250 439 1,411 20 1,779 7,866 4,677 3,059 1,953 22,276
1984 (EU 10)
      World 21,120 5,784 7,319 18,087 1,343 38,465 65,412 129,088 39,835 24,806 351,259
      Switz./Liecht. 1,178 323 583 1,994 29 2,930 5,821 6,579 4,938 1,938 26,313
1988 (EU 12)
      World 19,588 6,205 7,602 8,232 1,158 44,449 65, 673 141,249 48,507 20,256 362,917
      Switz./Liecht. 1,430 507 914 1,212 24 4,418 6,671 11,455 7,464 1,790 35,884
1992 (EU 12)
      World 24,887 8,778 8,068 10,552 1,491 54,200 71,091 180,838 59,247 16,939 436,091
      Switz./Liecht. 1,582 564 828 1,967 41 5,361 6,432 12,070 8,256 1,528 38,627
1996 (EU 15)
      World 30,646 10,339 11,414 15,431 1,998 79,14 4 102,957 283,081 79,287 12,695 627,011
      Switz./Liecht. 1,882 681 1,026 2,353 57 7,602 9, 354 16,661 9,977 1,957 52,013
1997 (EU 15)
      World 33,504 12,374 13,084 17,109 2,575 93,04 6 114,927 331,113 88,686 13,717 721,109
      Switz./Liecht. 1,914 710 1,037 2,411 60 8,457 9,338 17,090 10,502 1,048 53,575
1998 (EU 15)
      World 31,772 12,005 11,554 13,833 2,831 95,88 5 112,815 343,435 89,424 16,869 730,423
      Switz./Liecht. 1,968 757 984 2,300 68 9,120 9,529 19,881 10,981 1,201 57,609WT/REG94/R/B/1
G/L/360
Page 5Table 3 - EU Trade with Switzerland by HS Section
(Million ECU)
EXPORTS IMPORTS
SECTION 1988 1992 1996 1997 1998 SECTION 1988 1992 1996 1997 1998
TOTAL 35,884 38,627 52,013 53,575 57,609 TOTAL 29,454 34,955 43,182 45,706 49,894
I 401 423 530 537 521 I 323 326 320 309 293
II 738 762 861 875 811 II 42 47 67 68 75
III 33 45 52 57 63 III 12 13 9 8 8
IV 1,057 1,253 1,543 1,587 1,731 IV 296 446 666 699 758
V 1,360 2,102 2,506 2,564 2,464 V 355 366 378 414 417
VI 3,521 4,480 6,368 7,217 7,873 VI 4,809 6,650 9,472 9,964 10,508
VII 1,843 1,915 2,550 2,625 2,693 VII 1,072 1,436 1,896 1,944 2,069
VIII 527 441 344 473 439 VIII 136 117 117 129 125
IX 410 363 624 643 696 IX 189 271 318 346 362
X 1,217 1,385 2,411 2,477 2,679 X 769 985 1,354 1,426 1,526
XI 2,532 2,735 3,038 3,112 3,197 XI 1,653 1,723 1,678 1,582 1,608
XII 421 461 531 571 551 XII 90 77 113 82 76
XIII 709 739 969 958 1,051 XIII 190 286 369 403 383
XIV 1,799 1,301 2,898 2,529 2,249 XIV 2,204 2,037 5,195 5,561 6,149
XV 2,982 2,906 3,764 3,985 4,222 XV 2,051 2,516 3,173 3,305 3,499
XVI 7,231 7,599 10,844 11,265 12,794 XVI 6,991 8,580 11,044 11,175 12,622
XVII 4,357 4,685 6,133 6,186 7,474 XVII 1,031 1,369 1,165 1,550 2,252
XVIII 1,283 1,500 1,855 1,961 2,097 XVIII 2,345 3,145 3,799 3,912 4,254
XIX 20 24 26 47 32 XIX 4 14 19 30 31
XX 1,363 1,442 1,916 1,892 1,990 XX 503 588 776 756 803
XXI 1,116 990 1,133 1,072 1,163 XXI 1,158 1,179 925 1,055 1,134WT/REG94/R/B/1
G/L/360
Page 6Table 4 - EU Trade with World by HS Section
(Million ECU)
EXPORTS IMPORTS
SECTION 1988 1992 1996 1997 1998 SECTION 1988 1992 1996 1997 1998
TOTAL 362,917 436,091 627,011 721,109 730,423 TOTAL 387,757 487,135 581,065 672,413 709,643
I 7,060 8,001 9,980 10,897 10,062 I 8, 349 10,300 10,897 12,227 13,296
II 6,372 8,511 8,819 9,757 9,145 II 17,55 5 17,353 23,130 25,437 24,992
III 1,341 1,673 2,286 2,977 3,156 III 1,542 1,781 2,250 2,390 2,693
IV 13,817 19,194 24,510 27,744 27,279 I V 13,638 15,595 18,511 19,019 19,518
V 9,723 12,152 17,487 19,630 16,711 V 55,920 73,081 84,793 95,737 75,508
VI 37,393 46,951 68,968 81,772 85,215 V I 22,179 29,303 39,774 46,234 49,432
VII 15,521 16,914 23,128 27,148 27,504 V II 10,125 13,862 17,132 19,323 21,043
VIII 4,119 4,084 7,159 7,375 6,435 VIII 6,121 5,701 7,590 8,498 8,224
IX 1,771 2,035 4,045 4,927 5,182 IX 9, 615 10,926 9,118 10,973 11,434
X 7,937 10,271 18,033 19,764 19,803 X 17,605 19,227 11,110 11,996 12,571
XI 20,244 25,208 31,611 34,724 35,221 X I 28,639 39,478 47,467 55,248 57,903
XII 3,440 4,526 5,922 6,313 6,043 XII 3,325 5,451 7,029 8,308 8,274
XIII 7,153 8,120 11,257 12,916 12, 894 XIII 2,593 3,883 4,386 5,090 5,648
XIV 13,026 12,425 16,992 19,285 17,990 X IV 17,526 15,037 21,620 23,890 26,981
XV 30,826 30,864 42,214 46,944 45,623 X V 26,101 29,345 33,661 40,312 44,472
XVI 93,666 120,842 193,730 226,482 234,539 XVI 81,389 106,397 146,298 173,122 195,378
XVII 46,674 59,351 89,086 104,705 110,049 XVII 25,240 40,386 42,797 56,275 68,476
XVIII 14,107 17,067 23,982 28,129 29,109 XVIII 14,869 19,652 24,343 27,814 29,926
XIX 402 388 1,097 1,326 1,656 XIX 118 194 466 603 510
XX 7,819 9,378 13,350 15,177 15,242 XX 6 ,655 12,072 14,394 17,529 19,046
XXI 8,204 5,727 13,354 13,115 11,565 XXI 5,733 5,511 14,298 12,387 14,318
__________