G/TBT/N/CHE/281  
11 September  2023 
(23-6019) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  French  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.  
 
1. Notifying Member : SWITZERLAND  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):  
2. Agency responsible:  
Office fédéral de la santé publique , OFSP (Federal Office of Public Health)  
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:  
Secrétariat d'Etat à l'économie , SECO (State Secretariat for Economic Affairs)  
Holzikofenweg 36  
3003 Bern  
tbt@seco.admin.ch  
www.seco.admin.ch  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [ ], 5.6.2 [ ], 5.7.1 [ ], 3.2 [ ], 7.2 [ ], 
other:  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading . ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable) : Tobacco 
products including those composed of parts of leaves from Nicotiana  (tobacco) plants, 
intended mainly for smoking, inhalation, snuffing or chewing (relevant tariff item 
numbers : 2401.1010 -2404.1100).  
Electronic cigarettes also fall wit hin the scope of the new law (relevant tariff item 
numbers : (i) Electronic cigarettes : 8543.4000 ; (ii) Nicotine -free liquid cartridges : 
2404.1910, 2404.1990 ; (iii) Liquid cartridges containing nicotine : 2404.1210, 
2404.1290).  
Similar products that are clas sed as tobacco products or electronic cigarettes  under  the 
law if their content or mode  of consumption is comparable to those of such products.  
a. Heated plant -based products : A device for inhaling the emissions from a solid, tobacco -
free, plant -based product heated by an external energy source, as well as refills for the 
device (tariff item numbers : Containing nicotine : 2404.1210, 2404.1290 ; Nicotine -free: 
2404.1910)  
b. Nicotine -containing product for snuffing : A tobacco -free product containing nicotin e, 
for nasal consumption (tariff item number : 2404.9900)  
c. Tobacco -free product for a water pipe : A tobacco - and plant -free product to be 
consumed using a water pipe (tariff item numbers : Containing nicotine : 2404.1210, 
2404.1290 ; Nicotine -free: 2404.1910 , 2404.1990)  
d. Tobacco - and nicotine -free product for oral consumption : A tobacco - and nicotine -free 
product in the form of a powder to be consumed between the lips and gums (tariff item 
numbers : 2404.9110, 2404.9190)  G/TBT/N/CHE/281  
- 2 - 
  e. Tobacco - and nicotine -free product  for snuffing : A tobacco - and nicotine -free product 
for nasal consumption (tariff item number : 2404.9900)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document : Projet 
d'Ordonnance sur les produits du tabac et les cigarettes électroniques, OPTab  (Draft 
Ordinance on tobacco products and electronic cigarettes) (28 pages, in French, German 
and Italian)  
6. Description of content : The notified draft Ordinance on tobacco products and electronic 
cigarettes regulates, in particular:  
− the definition and classification of similar products (such as heated plant -based 
products, nicotine -containing products for snuffing and tobacco -free products for a water 
pipe), as well as specific requirements for these products;  
− the pres entation of the warnings defined in the Federal Law on tobacco  products;  
− the content of combined warnings for tobacco products for smoking and plant -based 
products for smoking;  
− the obligations of companies, particularly their duties in terms of self -monitoring and 
product declarations;  
− the tasks performed by the enforcement authorities, particularly controls and test 
purchases.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable : Consumer information, labelling ; Prevention of deceptive practices and 
consumer protection ; Protection of human health or safety  
8. Relevant documents:  
Loi fédérale sur les produits du tabac et les cigarettes électroniques (LPTab, FF 2021 
2327) , in French , German  and Italian  
The adopted Ordinance will be published in the Systematic Registry . 
9. Proposed date of adoption : Spring 2024  
Proposed date of entry into force : Summer 2024  
10. Final date for comments : 60 days from the date of notification  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:  
Swiss Information Center for Technical Rules (switec), Sulzerallee 70, 8404 Winterthur, 
Tel.: (+41) 52 224 54 55, Fax : (+41) 52 224 54 75, Email: switec@snv.ch  
https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/filestore/fedlex.data.admin.ch/eli/dl/proj/2022/101/cons_
1/doc_1/fr/pdf -a/fedlex -data-admin -ch-eli-dl-proj-2022-101-cons_1 -doc_1 -fr-pdf-a.pdf