G/TBT/N/CHE/246  
24 April 2020  
(20-3224) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
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  
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 Bern  
tbt@seco.admin.ch , www.seco.admin.ch  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [   ], 2.10.1 [X], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN  where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  
All foodstuffs on the swiss market.  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Revision of the 
Ordinance on Foodstuf fs and Utility Articles (2 page(s), in German; 2 page(s), in French; 
2 page(s), in Italian)  
6. Description of content:  Due to the COVID -19 pandemic certain food ingredients and 
packaging material may be in short supply. To provide food manufacturers more flexibility 
and to avoid reduced availability of foodstuffs for consumers, the labelling requirements for 
food products are relaxed for a time limited period of six months. The derogation will allow 
food producers to source alternative ingredients or packa ging materials to substitute 
ingredients or materials in short supply without having to amend the packaging 
information.  
For the derogation to apply, the following conditions have to be met:  
First, the manufacturer has to  demonstrate that the supply shortage is a direct 
consequence of the COVID -19 pandemic;  
Second, the alternative ingredients used have no bearing on the relevant health 
information provided on the packaging (e.g. ingredients that are allergen or may cause 
undesired reactions); and   
Third, foodstuff produced according to this derog ation has to be labelled with a red round 
sticker followed by an internet address where consumers can obtain information about the 
ingredients and packaging materials used, and how these may differ from the information 
contained on the packaging.  G/TBT/N/CHE/246  
 
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  7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  The changes are aimed at ensuring the availability of foodstuffs whilst 
ensuring human health and avoid  misleading consumers.   
Consumer information, labelling; Protection of human health or safety  
8. Relevant documents:   
Ordinance on Foodstuffs and Utility articles:  
• German: https://www.admin.ch/opc/de/classified -compilation/20143388/index.html   
• French: https://www.admin.ch/opc/fr/classified -compilation/20143388/index.html  
• Italian:  https://www.admin.ch/opc/it/classified -compilation/20143388/index.html  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  16 April 2020 ; Due to its urgency the modification was 
adopted on 16 April 2020.  
Proposed date of entry into force:  16 April 2020 ; Due to its urgency the modification 
entered into force on 16 April 2020.  
10. Final date for comments:  Not applicable  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO  
Holzikofenweg 36, 3003 Bern  
Switzerland  
tbt@seco.admin.ch   
https://members. wto.org/crnattachments/2020/TBT/CHE/20_2903_00_f.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/TBT/CHE/20_2903_00_x1.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/TBT/CHE/20_2903_00_x2.pdf