After several years of settlement negotiations with its trading partners, the Federal Council decided on 26 August 2020 to apply the new regulation for seasoned meat from 1 January 2021.
This marks the end of an intensive phase of negotiations and consultations, of which the famous speech by Hans-Rudolf Merz in particular will remain in our memories ;-).
In December 2015, the Swiss parliament approved the parliamentary initiative 10,426 to "abolish tariff preferences for imports of seasoned meat" and the amendment was implemented by the Federal Council on 1 July 2016.
The application of the higher tariff rates for cured meat was objected to at the WTO by the countries of origin of cured meat imports: Switzerland was in breach of its obligations at the World Trade Organization (WTO). As a result, compensation was negotiated with the countries concerned in order to prevent them from imposing customs duties on Swiss exports as a countermeasure.
The ordinance passed by the Federal Council on 26 August 2020 now raises the tariff rates for raw, seasoned meat to the level of the tariff rates for fresh meat.
The decision has yet to be approved by Parliament.
Further information can be found in the FDF press release of 26 August 2020.
