G/TBT/N/CHE/257  
17 June 2021 
(21-4958) 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 police , fedpol (Federal Office of Police)  
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 Berne  
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 [ ], other:  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading . ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable) : Inorganic 
chemicals ; organic or inorganic compounds of precious metals, of rare -earth metals, of 
radioactive elements or of isotopes (HS 28) ; Organic chemicals (HS 29) ; Pharmaceutical 
products (HS 30) ; Fertilizers ( HS 31) ; Tanning or dyeing extracts ; tannins and their 
derivatives ; dyes, pigments and other colouring matter ; paints and varnishes ; putty and 
other mastics ; inks (HS 32) ; Soap, organic surface -active agents, washing preparations, 
lubricating preparations, artificial waxes, prepared waxes, polishing or scouring 
preparations, candles and similar articles, modelling pastes, "dental waxes" and dental 
preparations with a basis of plaster (HS 34) ; Propellent powders (HS 3601) ; Prepared 
explosives, other than propellent powders (HS 3602 ); Ferro-cerium and other pyrophoric 
alloys ; Metaldehyde, hexamethylenetetramine and similar substances, put up in forms 
(for example, tablets or similar forms) for use as fuels ; fuels with a basis of alcohol in 
solid or semi -solid form ; Liquid or liquefied -gas fuels used in containers or cigarette or 
similar lighters of a capacity not exceeding 300 cm³ ; Resin torches, firelighters and the 
like (HS 3606) ; Miscellaneous chemical products (HS 38)  
5. Title, number of pages and langu age(s) of the notified document : Ordonnance sur 
les précurseurs de substances explosibles  (Ordinance on precursors for explosive 
substances) (31 pages, in German ; 31 pages, in French ; 31 pages, in Italian)  
6. Description of content : In September 2 020, the  Parliament approved the new 
regulations on explosives precursors . Explosives precursors may be used to make 
homemade explosives . The regulations adopted by the Parliament cover a number of 
products mainly sold in pharmacies, drugstores and specialist shop s. No restrictions are 
laid down for low concentrations . When concentrations are higher, an authorization issued 
by fedpol shall be  required for purchase . The law also provides for the prohibition of access 
to substances, as well as exceptions to this . The regulations are not applicable to 
professionals, such as farmers.  
The notified Ordinance specifies the eight substances covered by the restrictions and their 
limit values for access, in addition to the role of specialist shops . These shops know their G/TBT/N/CHE/257  
- 2 - 
  clients well and may therefore freely sell certain substances in small quantities . In 
contrast to European legislation, the new Ordinance does not for the time being restrict 
access to sulphuric acid, which is often used in car batteries.  
7. Objective and  rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable : National security requirements  
8. Relevant documents : Public consultation on the Ordinance for the implementation of 
the Law on explosives precursors:  
• French: Procédures de consultation en cours (admin.ch)  
• German: Laufende Vernehmlassungen (admin.ch)  
• Italian: Procedure di consultazione in corso (admin.ch)  
9. Proposed date of adoption : 1 May 2 022 
Proposed date of entry into force : 1 October 2 022 
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  
8400 
Tel.: (+41) 52 224 54 55  
Fax: (+41) 52 224 54 75  
switec@snv.ch  
 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2021/TBT/CHE/21_4153_00_f.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2021/TBT/CHE/21_4153_00_x.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2021/TBT/CHE/21_4153_00_x2.pdf