WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/COMTD/N/7/Add.1
24 May 2002
(02-2888)
Committee on Trade and Development Original:  French
GENERALIZED SYSTEM OF PREFERENCES
Notification by Switzerland
Addendum
The following communication, dated 15 March 2002, has been received from the delegation
of Switzerland.
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1. In 1997, the Swiss scheme of tariff preferences was extended by 10 years to
28 February 2007.  At the same time, it was greatly expanded for all developing countries, particularly
in the agricultural sector.  With respect to imports from the least-developed countries (LDCs),Switzerland not only grants duty-free admission for all industrial products, but also an exemption
from customs duties on most agricultural products.  These changes were notified to WTO on
11 April 1997 (in document WT/COMTD/N/7).
2. In response to calls from developing countries and intergovernmental organizations, and in
order to contribute to the process of confidence- building at the WTO, the Swiss Government adopted
a proposal designed to grant duty-free admission in the medium term for all products from LDCs.
The partial revision of the Generalized System of Preferences, adopted by the Government on27 June 2001, will provide a gradual improvement of access to the Swiss market for LDCs as from
1 January 2002.
3. Initially, it is proposed to reduce all remaining customs duties for LDCs by an average of
30 per cent as of that date.  Additional preferences granted from 1 January 2002 are contained in the
annex hereto and supplement the information in Annex 1 of notifi cation WT/COMTD/N/7.
4. Subsequently, (from 1 April 2004), an additional reduction of an average of 30 per cent will
be granted to LDCs.
5. At the beginning of 2005, a review will be carried out of market access measures in favour of
LDCs.  On the basis of this experience, the Fede ral Council and Parliament will decide on how to
achieve the final objective when the decree on tariff preferences comes up for extension in 2006.
6. In this sequence of steps, the final objective, as part of the policy of cooperation with
developing countries, should be achieved in accordance with Swiss agricultural policy.WT/COMTD/N/7/Add.1
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ANNEX
Additional Agricultural Preferences Granted to LDCs from 1 January 2002
Product Tariff Chapter Concession granted to LDCs
from 1.1.2002
Live animals; animal products 1 10% reduction on normal rate
Meat and edible meat offal 2 10% reduction on normal rate
Fish and crustaceans, molluscs
and other aquatic invertebrates3 Exempt from customs duties
Dairy produce 4.01 to 4.06 30% reduction on normal rate
Birds' eggs 4.07/4.08 10% reduction on normal rate
(Natural Honey; edible products
of animal origin)4.09/4.10 Exempt from customs duties
Products of animal origin, not
elsewhere specified or included5 10% reduction on normal rate
Live trees and other plants;
bulbs, roots and the like;  cut
flowers and ornamental foliage6 50% reduction on normal rate
Edible vegetables and certain
roots and tubers7 50% reduction on normal tariff
rate*;  except fodder on blue
list:  10% reduction
Edible fruit and nuts; peel of
citrus fruits or melons8 50% reduction on normal rate*;
except fodder on blue list:  10%
reduction
(Coffee, tea, maté and spices) 9 Exempt from customs duties
Cereals 10 10% reduction on normal rate
Products of the milling industry;malt;  starches; inulin; wheat
gluten11 10% reduction on normal rate
Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits;
miscellaneous grains, seeds and
fruit;  industrial or medicinal
plants; straw and fodder12 10% reduction on normal rate
(Lac;  gums, resins and other
vegetable  saps and extracts)13 Exempt from customs duties
Vegetable plaiting materials;
vegetable products not
elsewhere specified or included14 50% reduction on normal rate
Animal fats and oils 15.01 to 15.06, 15.16 (-10 10 to
10 99)50% reduction on normal rate;
except fodder on blue list:  10%reduction
Vegetable fats and oils 15.07 to 15.15,15.16 (-20 10 to
20 99)10% reduction on normal rate
Preparations of meat 16.01 and 16.02 10% reduction on normal rate
(Preparations of fish,
crustaceans, molluscs or otheraquatic invertebrates)16.03 to 16.05 Exempt from customs duties
                                                     
* For tariff lines with quotas, the out-of-quota general tariff quota is applied as the reference rate.WT/COMTD/N/7/Add.1
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Product Tariff Chapter Concession granted to LDCs
from 1.1.2002
Sugars and sugar confectionery 17 50% reduction on normal rate;
except fodder on blue list:  10%
reduction
Cocoa and cocoa preparations 18 50% reduction on normal rate
Preparations of cereals, flour,
starch or milk; pastrycooks'
products19 50% reduction on normal rate
Preparations of vegetables,
fruit, nuts or other parts of
plants20 50% reduction on normal rate
Miscellaneous edible
preparations21 50% reduction on normal rate
Beverages, spirits and vinegar 22 50% reduction on normal rate
(plus alcohol duty)
Residues and waste from thefood industries23 50% reduction on normal rate;
except fodder on blue list:  10%
reduction
Tobacco 24 50% reduction on normal rate
(plus tobacco duty)
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