G/STR/N/17/CHE  
 
9 May 2018  
(18-2844) Page: 1/8 
Working Party on State Trading Enterprises  Original: English  
 
STATE TRADING  
NEW AND FULL NOTIFIC ATION PURSUANT TO AR TICLE XVII:4(A) OF T HE 
GATT 1994 AND PARAGR APH 1 OF THE UNDERST ANDING ON  
THE INTERPRETATION O F ARTICLE XVII  
SWITZERLAND  
The following communication, dated 8 May 2018, is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of Switzerland . 
 
_______________  
 
 
I. ENUMERATION OF STATE TRADING ENTERPRISES  
 
Swiss Alcohol Board; Federal Department of Finance.  
 
II. 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 the 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.  
 
III. DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONING OF THE STATE TRADING ENT ERPRISE  
 
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 pr oduction.  
 
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, fa rmers, 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/17/CHE  
 
- 2 - 
 
  IV. STATISTICAL INFORMATION ( SEE ATTACHED TABLES  I – III) 
 
See Annex.  
 
V. 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).  
 
VI. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (AS APPROPRIATE)  
 
Since 2009 Switzerland has no national production of ethanol with alcohol content that exceeds 
80% by vol ume. 
 
Following the entry into force of the revision of the Swiss Alcohol Legislation in January 2017, 
alcosuisse will be privatised by 1 July 2018. The alcohol monopoly remains in force until the 
liberalisation of the alcohol market that will take effect 1 January 2019.   
  G/STR/N/17/CHE  
 
- 3 - TABLE I  
SWISS ALCOHOL BOARD  
STATISTICAL INFORMATION, IMPORTS, Year 2016  
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  795’718 hl  795’718 hl  USD / hl  
88.00  USD / hl  
125.57  - - 
Ethyl alcohol, 
denatured or 
intended for 
denaturing  
2207.2000  2’268  hl 2’268  hl USD / hl  
164.72  USD / hl  
101.78  - - 
 
 
  
                                                
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/17/CHE  
 
- 4 - TABLE II  
SWISS ALCOHOL BOARD  
STATISTICAL INFORMATION, EXPORTS, Year 2016  
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  9’979  hl - USD / hl  
88.00  USD / hl  
125.57  USD / hl  
231.99  - 
Ethyl alcohol, 
denatured or 
intended for 
denaturing  
2207.2000  3’505  hl - USD / hl  
164.72  USD / hl  
101.78  USD / hl  
135.91  
 - 
 
  
                                                
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, additi onal payments should also be reported.   
  G/STR/N/17/CHE  
 
- 5 - TABLE III  
SWISS ALCOHOL BOARD  
STATISTICAL INFORMATION, DOMESTIC ACTIVITIES, Year 2016  
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  - - 10 017.867  hl 10 017.867  hl 
Ethyl alcohol, denatured or 
intended for denaturing  
2207.2000  - - 439 946.03 hl  439 946.03 hl  
 
   
  G/STR/N/17/CHE  
 
- 6 - TABLE I  
SWISS ALCOHOL BOARD  
STATISTICAL INFORMATION, IMPORTS, Year 2017  
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  747’465  hl 747’465  hl USD / hl  
103.23  USD / hl  
119.39  - - 
Ethyl alcohol, 
denatured or 
intended for 
denaturing  
2207.2000  3’707  hl 3’707  hl USD / hl  
134.28  USD / hl  
101.71  - - 
 
  
                                                
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/17/CHE  
 
- 7 - TABLE II  
SWISS ALCOHOL BOARD  
STATISTICAL INFORMATION, EXPORTS, Year  2017  
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  4’585  hl - USD / hl  
103.23  USD / hl  
119.39  USD / hl  
257.18  - 
Ethyl alcohol, 
denatured or 
intended for 
denaturing  
2207.2000  900 hl - USD / hl  
134.28  USD / hl  
101.71  USD / hl  
341.04  - 
 
  
                                                
7 In cases wher e 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/17/CHE  
 
- 8 - TABLE III  
SWISS ALCOHOL BOARD  
STATISTICAL INFORMATION, DOMESTIC ACTIVITIES, Year 2017  
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  - - 9 236.30 hl  9 236.30 hl  
Ethyl alcohol, denatured or 
intended for denaturing  
2207.2000  - - 424 001.45 hl  424 001.45 hl  
 
 
 
 
 
__________