G/SPS/N/CHE/95  
27 September 2023  
(23-6457) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member:  SWITZERLAND  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Federal Office for the Environment  
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, 
where applicable):  Invasive alien plants ; live trees and other plants; bulbs, roots and 
the like; cut flowers and ornamental foliage (HS code(s): 06); environmental prot ection 
(ICS code(s): 13.020)  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners  Any country exporting the plant species concerned to 
Switzerland, mainly Europe  
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document:  Draft amendments to the Ordinance of 10  September  2008 
on the Handling of Organisms in the Environment . Language(s):  French, German, Italian . 
Number of pages:  7 
https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/filestore/fedlex.data.admin.ch/eli/dl/proj/2022 /91/cons_1/d
oc_2/fr/pdf -a/fedlex -data-admin -ch-eli-dl-proj-2022-91-cons_1 -doc_2 -fr-pdf-a.pdf 
https://members.wto.org/crna ttachments/2023/SPS/CHE/23_12653_00_f.pdf  
6. Description of content:  Since 2008, it is prohibited in Switzerland to handle, i.e. to 
deliberately use , 14 invasive alien plant and animal species (or groups of species) in the 
environment. Exempt from the ban are measures to control these species and the handling 
of therapeutic products, food and animal feed. In order to bring legislation in line with the 
current state of scientific knowledge and thus to better protect human , animal and plant 
health as well as biodiversity against the threats posed by invasive alien plants, the 
prohibition shall be extended to eleven other plant species (or groups of species). In 
addition to this, by means of the draft project, a ban on marke ting 27 invasive alien plant 
species will be introduced. Their sale as well as their import will be prohibited. Thus the 
marketing of a total of 49 invasive alien plant species (or group of species) will be banned. 
The draft amendments implement Switzerlan d's obligations under the CBD. Similar 
restrictions exist in the EU.  
7. Objective and rationale: [  ] food safety, [X]  animal health, [X]  plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from 
other damage from p ests.   G/SPS/N/CHE/95  
 
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  8. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) :  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[X] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international st andard?  
[ ] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 14 February 2024  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : To be defined.  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) : 1 September 2024  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [X]  Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 26 November 2023  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X]  National Notification 
Authority, [  ] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if 
available) of other body:   
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO)  
Non-Tariff Measures  
Holzikofenweg 36  
Tel: +(41 58) 46 40760  
Fax: +(41 58) 46 40958  
Email: sps@seco.admin.ch  
Website: http://www.seco.admin.ch  
13. Text(s) available from: [X]  National Notification Authority, [  ] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO)  
Non-Tariff Measures  
Holzikofenweg 36  
Tel: +(41 58) 46 40760  
Fax: +(41 58) 46 40958  
Email: sps@seco.ad min.ch  
Website: http://www.seco.admin.ch