The Federal Customs Administration (FCA) expects that the lockdown easing measures adopted by the Federal Council on 16 April will lead to a noticeable increase in the movement of goods. In dialogue with the business community, existing measures have been optimised and expanded, and the next steps outlined to ensure rapid processing of commercial goods traffic at the border. The Federal Council was informed of this at its meeting on 29 April 2020.

• Temporary trade measures enacted by government authorities in relation to COVID-19 pandemic rapidly spreading across the world.
• Helpful overview by the EU Commission on border controls and transport restrictions in the Member States, the United Kingdom, Norway and Switzerland.
• Ceemet has created a COVID 19 page that gives an overview of the arrangements made so far at national level. The page is constantly updated.

The EU has imposed an entry ban on non-EU citizens, but Switzerland and the UK are exempt. However, as the situation can change very quickly at the moment, we recommend that you obtain information in advance at the respective border crossings.

• Even if foreigners have a valid visa or residence permit, they are no longer allowed to enter the People's Republic of China from 28 March 2020 until further notice. More details.
• Due to the announced travel ban to the USA, commercial airlines will probably react in a similar way as they did in Asia: by reducing service. So far there is no confirmation that DHL's partner airlines are no longer accepting freight bookings. However, it is getting extremely difficult to find enough space for export shipments. DHL is currently organizing charter solutions to the USA, but cannot yet offer scheduled departures. Each export shipment must be checked individually.

• Cargo Pooling to China: A process for cargo pooling from China to Switzerland has been launched in a tripartite collaboration between FRACHT AG, SWISS cargo and the Embassy of Switzerland in China. The aim is to enable Swiss parties with smaller cargo capacity needs to access chartered flight solutions by pooling cargo needs together, using the full capacity of charter flights from China to Switzerland.
• If you are interested in partaking in cargo pooling, please contact FRACHT AG’s airfreight-manager Sebastian Furler with information about the contact person of the buyer in Switzerland, the name of the supplier with all contact details as well as the order-number. Fruthermore, cargo details such as no. of cartons, measurements, weight and date of readiness of the cargo.
   
• Various airlines - including SWISS - have approached S-GE with special offers for special transport solutions. Get in touch with us, we are happy to help you.

Yes, the export still works, the movement of goods is not affected by the border closures. However, we recommend that you clarify with your customer in advance whether he can or may accept the delivery. It is also advisable to consult the forwarding agent, as the regularity of departures to Italy has been reduced at most companies.

• On 25 March 2020, the Federal Council decided to introduce an authorisation requirement for the export of medical protective equipment. Exceptions from the licensing requirement exist for exports to the EU and EFTA area.
• Licences for the export of important medical goods must be applied for from SECO via the ELIC licensing platform.
• The details are regulated in the Ordinance on Export Control for Protective Equipment. Are you unsure whether your product belongs to this category? We are happy to help you.

• List of open border crossings and 'green lanes' updated by the Swiss Federal Customs Administration (FCA).
• With immediate effect, the FCA is implementing the following measures to reduce the burden on its corporate customers:
  • For payment by installments, the customer's financial situation will be taken into account
  • Waiver of increased collateral in case of a shortfall in collateral
  • Suspension of all reminders
  • Waiver of reminder fees and interest on arrears

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a high international demand for sourcing of medical equipment in China. It is very challenging to select qualified and to avoid unreliable Chinese suppliers, to comply with the periodically updated Chinese export regulations and to conduct stringent quality assessments of the purchased products.

Therefore, the Swiss Business Hub China has compiled a fact sheet which offers practical support and guidance regarding the procurement of medical equipment in China and its transportation to Switzerland. Should you require professional support in the commercial procurement of medical equipment in China, please contact our S-GE consultants for the Chinese market, Daniel Bont and Alain Graf.

The Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission is taking further measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection: the import duty rate for certain medical products is set at zero percent – this measure is set to initially apply until 30 September 2020.

In the global fight against the coronavirus, China has taken new measures to ensure the quality of exports of medical supplies. In Switzerland too, customs conditions are being adapted: The Federal Council has decided to temporarily suspend customs duties on imports of important medical goods.

• A risk of non-payment or delay abroad (but also in the domestic market) cannot be excluded, we expect global non-payment or delays. Which payment terms are best suited depends on various factors: Is it a new or an existing customer? Are there possibilities for advance payments? At the very least, the cost price should be taken into consideration.
• If larger amounts are involved, hedging instruments such as letters of credit or bank guarantees can be used, but these incur additional expenses and costs, which - depending on the basis for negotiation - can also be shared with the buyer.
• It is also worth clarifying with your insurance company how you can protect yourself against the loss of possible payments.

• Regularly clarify the situation regarding logistics and transport options to the destination country with your forwarder. Are there any delivery delays or even supply disruptions that need to be communicated to the customer?
• Check the agreed terms in the letter of credit and adjust them if necessary. You should also get support from your bank for this.
• Negotiate any contractual conditions with your customer that cannot be met due to the current situation.
• Change the place of performance in the letter of credit to Warehouse/handover to forwarder with payment triggering document Warehouse Receipt/Forwarders Certificate of Receipt, instead of Airwaybill or Bill of Lading. To do this, you must change the Incoterms to FCA or EXW. Make sure that the storage costs go to the buyer.
• Try to postpone transports/put them on hold
• Organize return transport from the airport
• Check all already-issued export documents (that the validity is also guaranteed in one month)
• Do not hand over the goods to the forwarder (in the case of all Incoterms that are not FCA) if storage in your own company is possible; duty-free warehouses are expensive.

You may not demand penalty payments from buyers, as this situation (coronavirus) counts as force majeure. Exporters must take a clear position here, as this situation involves measures ordered by the state

These concern approaches that must of course be examined on a situational basis

As soon as national borders are crossed, logistics becomes an important success factor. The linked article gives you an initial overview of the most important criteria, such as delivery conditions and total landed cost, and what options there are for getting goods across the border. You will also find a checklist to help you choose the right approach to packaging.

To start selling successfully all over the world, it is not enough to simply set up a webshop; there is a lot more to consider. What measures can you take to increase your customers' satisfaction or increase the conversion rate? Are shipment tracking and returns management really that important? Get to know more.

How can you make a successful start in electronic retail? What administrative preparations must be made before goods can be shipped? The rule here is that good preparation is half the battle. Use the following article to find out about fiscal requirements, digital data transmission and customs tariff numbers.