The Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG) published a notice on 23 February stating that the national customs tariff database—Tares—will be updated on 1 March 2026. (bazg.admin.ch)
While the communiqué provides scant detail, stakeholders can expect new commodity codes aligned with the latest World Customs Organization (WCO) amendments and adjusted duty rates for selected agri-food and high-tech items. The update matters for corporate mobility teams because accompanying household-goods shipments and project cargo must quote the new tariff numbers to clear Swiss borders without delay.
Logistics providers urge exporters to download the updated nomenclature as soon as it goes live. Incorrect HS codes can trigger customs holds, creating storage costs at inland ports such as Basel-Weil and Chiasso. Personal effects consignments for incoming expatriates—often brokered by relocation firms—will also need revised declarations if the goods fall under re-classified headings.
![Swiss Customs Announces Tares Tariff Update Effective 1 March 2026]()
For companies dispatching staff or expatriates to Switzerland, securing the proper entry documentation is just as critical as updating customs codes. VisaHQ’s online platform (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/) simplifies the process of obtaining Swiss visas and residence permits, guiding mobility teams through requirements and timelines so that employees arrive ready to navigate the new Tares regime without administrative hiccups.
BAZG recommends that businesses use its e-learning module on Tares changes and warns that manual declarations filed after 1 March using obsolete codes will be rejected by the Passar electronic customs system.
Forward-looking companies may use the rollover to audit their customs data, ensuring that duty-saving schemes (e.g., free-trade agreements with the EU and UK) remain properly coded under the new structure.
While the communiqué provides scant detail, stakeholders can expect new commodity codes aligned with the latest World Customs Organization (WCO) amendments and adjusted duty rates for selected agri-food and high-tech items. The update matters for corporate mobility teams because accompanying household-goods shipments and project cargo must quote the new tariff numbers to clear Swiss borders without delay.
Logistics providers urge exporters to download the updated nomenclature as soon as it goes live. Incorrect HS codes can trigger customs holds, creating storage costs at inland ports such as Basel-Weil and Chiasso. Personal effects consignments for incoming expatriates—often brokered by relocation firms—will also need revised declarations if the goods fall under re-classified headings.
For companies dispatching staff or expatriates to Switzerland, securing the proper entry documentation is just as critical as updating customs codes. VisaHQ’s online platform (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/) simplifies the process of obtaining Swiss visas and residence permits, guiding mobility teams through requirements and timelines so that employees arrive ready to navigate the new Tares regime without administrative hiccups.
BAZG recommends that businesses use its e-learning module on Tares changes and warns that manual declarations filed after 1 March using obsolete codes will be rejected by the Passar electronic customs system.
Forward-looking companies may use the rollover to audit their customs data, ensuring that duty-saving schemes (e.g., free-trade agreements with the EU and UK) remain properly coded under the new structure.
