G/STR/N/16/CHE  
 
3 May 2016  
(16-2481)  Page: 1/8  
Working Party on State Trading Enterprises  Original: English  
 
 
 STATE TRADING 
NOTIFICATION OF SWITZERLAND PURS UANT TO ARTICLE XVII:4(A) OF 
THE GATT 1994 AND PARAGRAPH 1 OF THE UNDERSTANDING 
ON THE INTERPRETATION OF ARTICLE XVII 
 
The following communication, dated 2 May 2016, is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of Switzerland.  
_______________ 
FOR THE YEARS 2014 AND 2015 
1  ENUMERATION OF STATE TRADING ENTERPRISES 
Swiss Alcohol Board; Federal Department of Finance. 
 2  REASON AND PURPOSE 
The Alcohol Legislation, which is concerned with the manufacture, rectification and import of spirits 
and ethanol, was established in Switzerland for public health reasons. 
 It is based on Article 105 of the Federal Constitution, which gives th e Federation the sole right to 
legislate in this field. Pursuant to that constitutional basis, the Federal Assembly promulgated the 
Federal Law on Alcohol of 21 June 1932. This legislation aims at reducing the production and consumption of spirits. 
 
3  DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONING OF THE STATE TRADING ENTERPRISE 
The private sector is allowed to import ethanol and spirits containing not more than 80% by volume 
without restriction and without any permit. The taxes, fixed by the Federal Council, have to be paid on imported goods as well as on the domestic production.  
 
For control reasons, the Swiss Confederation, through " alcosuisse ", a profit centre of the Alcohol 
Board, is entitled to import ethanol whose alcohol content exceeds 80% by volume. However, imports by the private sector are possible subject to prior authorization by the Alcohol Board. 
 
Inside the country, ethanol and spirits are not produced by the Alcohol Board itself, but by the private sector which, for control reasons, has been granted a concession (industrial and professional 
producers, farmers, small producers). 
 Industrial distilleries and spirits producers are allowed to market their products directly subject to 
payment of the taxes. This trade is subject to authorization. 
 Ethanol is bought and sold by " alcosuisse " at the market price of the various qualities imported or 
produced in Switzerland. The prices for ethanol sold by " alcosuisse " are fixed by the Federal Council. 
Ethanol intended for consumption purposes is subject to a tax. 
 G/STR/N/16/CHE 
 
- 2 - 
 
  4  STATISTICAL INFORMATION (S EE ATTACHED TABLES I – III) 
See Annex. 
 5  REASON WHY NO FOREIGN TRADE HAS TAKEN PLACE (AS APPROPRIATE) 
As the Alcohol Legislation is established for public health reasons, the commercial activities of the 
Alcohol Board are concentrated on the domestic market. Therefore the quantity exported by the Alcohol Board is not important (see Table II, exports). 
 
6  ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (AS APPROPRIATE) 
Since 2009 Switzerland has no national production of ethanol with alcohol content that exceeds 
80% by volume.  
  G/STR/N/16/CHE  
 
- 3 - TABLE I 
SWISS ALCOHOL BOARD 
STATISTICAL INFORMATION, IMPORTS, YEAR 2014 
Description of 
product(s) 
(including HS 
number(s)) Total quantity 
imported1 Quantity imported 
by 
state trading 
enterprise1 Average import 
price Average 
representative 
domestic sales 
price Mark-up2 National production 
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 
Undenatured ethyl 
alcohol of an alcoholic strength by volume of 80% volume or higher 
2207.1000 476'224.01 hl 476'224.01 hl USD / hl 
87.97 USD / hl 
148.53 - - 
Ethyl alcohol, 
denatured or intended for denaturing 2207.2000 9'112.46 hl 9'112.46 hl USD / hl 
131.02 USD / hl 
127.90 - - 
 
                                               
1 In cases where no imports have taken place under columns 2 or 3, provide an explanation under Section V of this questionnaire.  
2 Members may report either under columns 4 and 5 or under column 6.  
  G/STR/N/16/CHE  
 
- 4 - TABLE II 
SWISS ALCOHOL BOARD 
STATISTICAL INFORMATION, EXPORTS, YEAR 2014  
Description of 
product(s) 
(including HS 
number(s)) Total quantity 
exported3 Quantity exported 
by 
state trading 
enterprise1 Average 
procurement price4 Average 
representative 
domestic sales 
price Average export 
price National 
production 
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 
Undenatured ethyl alcohol of an alcoholic strength by volume of 80% volume or higher 
2207.1000 1'446 hl - USD / hl 
87.97 USD / hl 
148.53 USD / hl 
1'147.17 - 
Ethyl alcohol, 
denatured or intended for denaturing 2207.2000 4'388.95 hl - USD / hl 
131.02 USD / hl 
127.90 USD / hl 
57.85 - 
 
                                               
3 In cases where no exports have taken place under columns 2 or 3, provide an explanation under Section V of this questionnaire.  
4 In cases where the initial procurement price is augmented by other payments, additional payments should also be reported.  
  G/STR/N/16/CHE  
 
- 5 - TABLE III 
SWISS ALCOHOL BOARD 
STATISTICAL INFORMATION, DOMESTIC ACTIVITIES, YEAR 2014  
Description of product(s) 
(including HS number(s)) Domestic purchases by 
state trading enterprise National production Domestic sales by 
state trading enterprise National consumption 
1 2 3 4 5 
Undenatured ethyl alcohol of an 
alcoholic strength by volume of 80% volume or higher 2207.1000 - - 9'407.79 hl 9'407.79 hl 
Ethyl alcohol, denatured or 
intended for denaturing 2207.2000 - - 447'155.18 hl 
 447'155.18 hl 
  
  G/STR/N/16/CHE  
 
- 6 - TABLE I 
SWISS ALCOHOL BOARD 
STATISTICAL INFORMATION, IMPORTS, YEAR 2015  
Description of 
product(s) 
(including HS 
number(s)) Total quantity 
imported5 Quantity imported 
by 
state trading 
enterprise1 Average import 
price Average 
representative 
domestic sales 
price Mark-up6 National production 
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 
Undenatured ethyl 
alcohol of an alcoholic strength by volume of 80% volume or higher 
2207.1000 620'618.93 hl 620'618.93 hl USD / hl 
82.83 USD / hl 
119.10 - - 
Ethyl alcohol, 
denatured or intended for denaturing 2207.2000 1'157.01 hl 1'157.01 hl USD / hl 
434.01 USD / hl 
105.75 - - 
 
                                               
5 In cases where no imports have taken place under columns 2 or 3, provide an explanation under Section V of this questionnaire.  
6 Members may report either under columns 4 and 5 or under column 6.  
  G/STR/N/16/CHE  
 
- 7 - TABLE II 
SWISS ALCOHOL BOARD 
STATISTICAL INFORMATION, EXPORTS, YEAR 2015  
Description of 
product(s) 
(including HS 
number(s)) Total quantity 
exported7 Quantity exported 
by 
state trading 
enterprise1 Average 
procurement price8 Average 
representative 
domestic sales 
price Average export 
price National 
production 
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 
Undenatured ethyl alcohol of an alcoholic strength by volume of 80% volume or higher 
2207.1000 2'577.19 hl - USD / hl 
82.83 USD / hl 
119.10 USD / hl 
688.41 - 
Ethyl alcohol, 
denatured or intended for denaturing 2207.2000 5'199.14 hl - USD / hl 
434.01 USD / hl 
105.75 USD / hl 
110.79 - 
 
                                               
7 In cases where no exports have taken place under columns 2 or 3, provide an explanation under Section V of this questionnaire.  
8 In cases where the initial procurement price is augmented by other payments, additional payments should also be reported.  
  G/STR/N/16/CHE  
 
- 8 - TABLE III 
SWISS ALCOHOL BOARD 
STATISTICAL INFORMATION, DOMESTIC ACTIVITIES, YEAR 2015  
Description of product(s) 
(including HS number(s)) Domestic purchases by 
state trading enterprise National production Domestic sales by 
state trading enterprise National consumption 
1 2 3 4 5 
Undenatured ethyl alcohol of an 
alcoholic strength by volume of 80% volume or higher 2207.1000 - - 9'792.72 hl 9'792.72 hl 
Ethyl alcohol, denatured or 
intended for denaturing 2207.2000 - - 454'322.46 hl 454'322.46 hl 
 
 
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