G/TBT/2/Add.7/Rev.2  
 
16 May 2014  
(14-2997)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
  IMPLEMENTATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE AGREEMENT  
ON TECHNICAL BARRIERS TO TRADE 
COMMUNICATION FROM SWITZERLAND 
Revision 
The following communication under Article 15.2 of the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade 
has been received from Switzerland.  
 
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1.1.  In accordance with Article 15.2 of the Ag reement on Technical Barriers to Trade, the Swiss 
delegation hereby submits to the Committee this statement on the implementation and 
administration of the Agreement in Switzerland. 
1.2.  As a signatory to the Tokyo Round Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade, Switzerland 
provided a statement on the implementation of the Agreement, which was circulated as document TBT/1/Add.24 of 4 February 1981. The present st atement describes the measures which are in 
force or which have been taken to ensure the implementation and administration of the WTO 
Agreement. 
1.3.  The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) assumes responsibility, on behalf of the 
Swiss Government, for implementing the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade. Any 
questions concerning Switzerland's implementation of the Agreement and requests for consultation 
should be addressed to the SECO. 
1.4.  The Federal Law on Technical Barriers to Trade (RS 946.51
1) entered into force on 1 July 
1996. It strengthens implementation of the Agreem ent by incorporating the principles therein, 
giving them concrete form in terms of domestic legislation and ensuring their systematic application. 
a. The Federal Law on Technical Barriers to Trade applies to all federal and cantonal 
government services involved in the regulatory process. The SECO monitors implementation of the Law by the services  responsible for drawing up and applying 
sectorial regulations. 
b. In general, Swiss technical regulations must be formulated so as not to create technical 
barriers to trade. To this end the Law specifies that they must be adapted to the legislation of Switzerland's main trading partners. Exceptions are allowed only for 
reasons of public order, such as the prot ection of health or the environment, in 
accordance with the Agreement. 
c. The conclusion of international agreements on the mutual recognition of tests, 
conformity assessment procedures or authorizations is facilitated by the delegation of 
authority to the federal government. 
                                               
1 http://www.admin.ch/opc/fr/classified-compilation/19950286/index.html  G/TBT/2/Add.7/Rev.2 
 
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  d. In the absence of international agreements, the autonomous recognition by Switzerland 
of other countries' tests and conformity assessment procedures is based on a liberal approach. Switzerland generally recognises conformity assessments by means of suppliers' declaration of conformity. In cases where third party assessment is required, 
test results from accredited and recognised bodies are generally accepted if they are 
proven compliant with Swiss technical regulations. 
e. Swiss law requires that technical regulations be notified under the procedures laid down 
in the international agreements to which Switzerland is a party.  
1.5.  The SECO is responsible for administering th e technical regulation notification procedure. It 
ensures that all Swiss regulations relating to the Agreement are notified. Comments on Swiss regulations should be addressed to: 
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) 
Non-tariff measures Holzikofenweg 36 
3003 Berne 
Tel.:  +(41) 58 464 07 60 Fax:  +(41) 58 464 09 58 
Email: tbt@seco.admin.ch  
 
1.6.  Drafts of new legislation and significant changes in the existing regulation are subject to public consultation. Drafts and comments relating to the drafting of Swiss texts within the scope of 
the Agreement are published on the website of th e federal authorities of the Swiss Confederation 
under the heading "Procédures de consultation et d'audition"
2 (procedures for consultation and 
hearings). Once adopted, the texts of Switze rland's technical regulations and conformity 
assessment procedures are published.3 They are made available in a consolidated manner in the 
Recueil systématique du droit fédéral (Systematic compendium of the Swiss Federal legislation).4 
1.7.  The SECO has assigned to the Swiss Information Center for Technical Rules (switec) the task 
of setting up and managing Switzerland's WTO en quiry point. The Swiss enquiry point provides 
information on all current and proposed technical regulations stemming from the Federal Government, local institutions, or non-governmental bodies. switec is also responsible for circulating notifications received under the Agr eement to the interested parties for comments.  
Swiss Information Center for Technical Rules (switec) 
Bürglistrasse 29 8400 Winterthur 
Tel.:  +(41) 52 224 54 55 
Fax:  +(41) 52 224 54 75 Email: switec@snv.ch  
 
1.8.  In implementing the Agreement, Switzerland also attaches great importance to the Code of 
Good Practice for the Preparation, Adoption and Ap plication of Standards. The sector specific Swiss 
standardization bodies under the umbrella of the Swiss Association for Standardization (SNV) are 
signatories to this Code. 
Swiss Association for Standardization (SNV) 
Bürglistrasse 29 
8400 Winterthur 
Tel.  +(41) 52 224 54 54 Fax:  +(41) 52 224 54 74 
Email: info@snv.ch  
 
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2 http://www.admin.ch/ch/f/gg/pc/preview.html  
3 Recueil Officiel suisse  (Official Compendium of Swiss Federal legislation) 
http://www.admin.ch/bundesrecht/00567/index.html?lang=fr  
4 http://www.admin.ch/bundesrecht/00566/index.html?lang=fr