International agreements strengthen the safety of food, consolidate the fight against animal disease and facilitate free trade. The FSVO is actively involved in the further development of existing agreements in its area of responsibility.
Agreement on trade in agricultural products between Switzerland and the EU (Annex 11, Veterinary Agreement)
Annex 11 of the bilateral Agreement on trade in agricultural products between Switzerland and the EU is known as the “Veterinary Annex” or the "Veterinary Agreement". It covers health and animal breeding measures applicable to trade in live animals, animal products and foodstuffs of animal origin.
The Veterinary Agreement governs the control of animal diseases, trade in living animals, animal products and foodstuffs of animal origin as well as their import from third countries. It forms the basis for the common veterinary area and thus facilitates trade between Switzerland and the EU.
Common veterinary area
Joint Veterinary Committee (JVC)
Implementation in Switzerland
Influence of Switzerland on the EU
Veterinary border controls relating to the transport of animals, animal products and foodstuffs of animal origin between Switzerland and the EU were abolished on 1 January 2009; trade in these goods between Switzerland and the EU can therefore be treated in the same way as between EU Member States.
Shipments from non-EU countries (third countries) are inspected when they enter the Swiss-EU veterinary area and can then be moved freely. Border control points have been set up in Switzerland at Geneva and Zurich airports. This is where Swiss border veterinary inspections are carried out.
In return, the EU Member States control shipments destined for Switzerland when they first arrive in an EU Member State, for example in Rotterdam or Frankfurt.
It should be noted that the customs and species conservation controls for imports from third countries and from the EU are still in place.
The Joint Veterinary Committee monitors the correct implementation of the Veterinary Agreement. It is responsible for updating it, discusses bilateral issues and looks for mutually acceptable solutions.
In Switzerland, the FSVO is responsible for issues associated with the Veterinary Agreement. It sends a delegation to the JVC, thus ensuring directprofessional dialogue and good relations between Switzerland and the EU on veterinary matters.
In Switzerland FSVO is responsible for:
- updating the Veterinary Agreement
- modifying Swiss legislation in response to changes in EU legislation
- communicating changes in Swiss legislation
- monitoring compliance at the external border (border control points).
DG SANTE – Directorate General for Health and Food Safety
The Directorate General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) is a department of the European Commission. It is responsible for protecting the health of EU citizens, animal health and welfare, plant health and food safety. The DG SANTE is thus the central point of contact for the FSVO in matters of the Switzerland-EU Veterinary Agreement.
Decisions taken by the EU in the areas of animal health and food safety impact on Swiss legislation beyond the scope of the Veterinary Agreement. Switzerland thus makes its position known as early as possible – at the stage of drafting legislation and in scientific developments. This is achieved through the participation of FSVO experts as observers in working groups and standing committees.
As Switzerland does not have voting rights, however, its scope for influence is formally limited. This makes good bilateral contacts all the more important, in order to effectively put forward Swiss concerns and interests.
EFSA– European Food Safety Authority
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is the central pillar of EU risk evaluation in the area of food and animal feed safety.
FSVO representatives attend selected meetings as observers and contribute their expert knowledge, in particular of toxicology, risk evaluation and animal diseases (zoonoses).
Swiss-EU Food Safety Protocol (Bilaterals III)
At the end of 2024, Switzerland and the EU agreed on the stabilisation of the Agreement on trade in agricultural products and its further development with a new Food Safety Protocol. The aim is to set up a common food safety area to strengthen the health of humans, animals and plants and increase consumer protection along the entire food chain. For the FSVO this means that foodstuffs of plant origin will also be covered by the Food Safety Protocol.
The EU is Switzerland's most important trading partner. Agricultural products and foodstuffs worth over 16 billion Swiss francs are traded between Switzerland and the EU every year. 51% of Swiss exports in this sector go to the EU, while 73% of imports originate from the EU. A closer cooperation enables the partners to identify health risks earlier and combat fraud more effectively.. At the same time, the removal of non-tariff trade barriers facilitates trade. Switzerland also gains a seat on the relevant EU committees, giving it an active say in decision-making..
The advantages of the Swiss-EU Food Safety Protocol:
Trade: Easier market access
Food safety: Enhanced consumer protection and ban on deception
Plant health
Animal health: Further harmonisation in combating animal diseases
Animal welfare
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
The further removal of non-tariff trade barriers – i.e. trade restrictions without customs duties – facilitates mutual market access for food producers. Swiss food establishments can continue to easily export their products to the EU.
Switzerland will gain access to the relevant EU networks and working groups, including the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), to EU risk assessments and EU early alert systems.
At the same time, the obligation to indicate the country of production for foodstuffs sold in Switzerland remains in force. Joint efforts to combat counterfeiting and fraud protect the Swiss food industry and strengthen consumer protection.
Switzerland will be integrated into the EU’s authorisation system for plant protection products, will have full access to EU risk assessments and will be able to contribute its opinion on assessments of plant protection products. Agricultural producers in Switzerland will have faster access to modern, effective products. There is no obligation to adopt the authorisations from the EU. Adoption of authorisations may be waived if the protection of humans, animals and the environment cannot be guaranteed or if Swiss waters protection requirements are not met.
Closer cooperation between Switzerland and the EU strengthens the joint fight against animal diseases that can potentially be transmitted to humans and cause major economic damage. The joint commitment to combating antibiotic resistance will also be strengthened.
Switzerland’s higher animal welfare standards will remain in place. The domestic ban on animal transit on Swiss roads will be permanently secured, with an exception.
Swiss regulations on GMOs in animal feed, seeds and foodstuffs remain in place.
Most frequently asked questions and answers on the Swiss-EU Food Safety Protocol (Bilaterals III):
FAQ Food Safety Protocol
What will change for consumers?
What will change for food establishments?
Are there stricter rules for small-scale providers such as market stands, club events or farm shops (occasional sale of foodstuffs)?
Will EU officials conduct inspections in Swiss food establishments?
Will Swiss animal welfare standards be relaxed?
Will genetically modified foodstuffs (GMOs) be imported into Switzerland?
For the Swiss population, the Protocol provides in particular greater safety, faster access to information and uniform protection when purchasing food and consumer goods (online and in retail stores). This will be made possible by full access to EU-relevant bodies such as the EFSA and the EU risk assessment systems, including the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF). Switzerland is thus informed in real time in case of any risks – for example, products on the market that pose a threat to health – and can react accordingly quickly. In this way, consumer protection and the ban on deception are strengthened along the entire food chain.
There will not be any noticeable changes for Swiss food establishments in practice, as Swiss food legislation is already over 90% aligned with EU law. In Switzerland, there are already equivalent requirements on hygiene or on food safety, such as identical maximum values for veterinary medicinal product residues.
Thanks to the expanded agreement, Swiss producers of foodstuffs and consumer goods, as well as establishments, are given easier access to the EU single market through the removal of non-tariff trade barriers and legal certainty through uniform rules across the entire Swiss-EU food safety area.
No. For farm shops, market stalls or even club events – such as the sale of cake at a school party – nothing will change in practice. They are subject to Swiss food legislation and must therefore continue to guarantee compliance with hygiene requirements and take responsibility for the impeccable quality of the products. However, both Swiss and EU law provide simplifications for the “direct or occasional” sale of foodstuffs. Nothing will therefore change in the current situation.
No. Official inspections of food establishments and businesses in Switzerland are currently and will continue to be conducted by the cantonal enforcement authorities and not by the EU. The EU Commission already conducts audits in the scope of application of the existing Agreement on trade in agricultural products – in Switzerland as well as in other third countries. The audits serve to check if Switzerland’s food safety inspection systems are being implemented correctly. This means, they check whether the Swiss control system functions; not the individual businesses.
No. Switzerland will retain its strict requirements, and exceptions that already exist in the Agreement on trade in agricultural products are guaranteed. In future, Switzerland’s higher animal husbandry standards and the domestic ban on animal transports on Swiss roads will continue to apply.
Switzerland was able to negotiate an excemption for GMOs and will continue to regulate them independently. This means: GMO foods authorised in the EU will not be automatically licensed in Switzerland in the future. A Swiss authorisation procedure based on strict safety criteria is still required. For example, while several varieties of genetically modified rapeseed are authorised in the EU for the production of foodstuffs (e.g. rapeseed oil), none are permitted in Switzerland.
FAQ Approval of plant protection products
What would change in terms of the authorisation of plant protection products?
Will authorisation of plant protection products proceed faster in future?
Will dangerous pesticides that are currently banned be used in future in Switzerland?
Is it true that Switzerland will have to adopt all pesticides from other countries in future?
Will Swiss waters protection requirements be relaxed?
Will Swiss health protection requirements be relaxed?
How does the new authorisation process work with the EU Food Safety Protocol?
Will new active substances for plant protection products be available more quickly in Switzerland?
Find out more
With the Food Safety Protocol, Switzerland will be fully integrated into the EU authorisation system. Agricultural producers in Switzerland will thus have faster access to modern, effective products. There is no obligation to adopt the authorisations from the EU. Adoption of authorisations can be waived if the protection of humans, animals and the environment is not guaranteed or if Swiss waters protection requirements are not met.
Yes, authorisation will proceed faster, because Switzerland will be able to authorise plant protection products that it has co-evaluated without delay at the national level. The safety and effectiveness of the products remain at the same level, as the authorisation requirements in Switzerland and the EU are virtually identical.
No. The Swiss authorisation requirements for plant protection products are already virtually identical to those of the EU. The same requirements apply with regard to safety and effectiveness, which is why no plant protection products will be placed on the Swiss market in future that would not be authorised today. The national authorisation procedure and the regulation of product use will continue to take place in Switzerland. It will therefore continue to issue its own requirements and restrictions, for example with regard to waters protection and health. The provisions on Swiss waters protection remain unaffected.
No. Switzerland will be able to fully inspect risk assessments, contribute its opinion on the assessment of plant protection products, benefit from the knowledge of around 2,000 experts in the EU Member States, and take the lead in assessments. Switzerland will be able to authorise plant protection products – without delay and at the national level – from the “Central” zone of the EU that it has co-evaluated. However, there is no obligation to adopt the authorisations.
No. Swiss waters protection requirements, including the protection of drinking water, remain unchanged. Switzerland will continue to check plant protection products in line with the waters protection requirements and will not authorise products – or will authorise them with restrictions – if the requirements are not met. The EU requirements explicitly provide for this (Article 36, EU Plant Protection Product Regulation 1107/2009).
No. Switzerland will still be able to issue restrictions on plant protection products in future, for example, requirements on mandatory protective clothing. It can also reject plant protection products altogether if health protection is not guaranteed. The EU requirements explicitly provide for this (Article 36, EU Plant Protection Product Regulation 1107/2009).
In future, Switzerland will be part of the EU “Central” authorisation zone. When evaluating authorisation applications, a country in this zone takes the lead, e.g. Germany, Austria or Belgium. Switzerland’s legal provisions must be taken into account from the outset, in particular in terms of groundwater protection. All countries in the zone, including Switzerland, contribute their expertise to the scientific evaluation of the application. Based on the consolidated evaluation, Switzerland can then authorise a plant protection product at the national level without delay. It can also refuse it, if the protection of humans, animals and the environment is not guaranteed. In terms of waters protection, it will conduct its own reviews in future and may not authorise a particular product – or may do so but only subject to restrictions. As in the past, Switzerland will issue specific requirements for the use of plant protection products, such as the maximum permitted number of applications per year, distance to watercourses or provisions on protective clothing.
Switzerland already adopts the approval of active substances from the EU. Specific conditions and restrictions for Switzerland are also possible with the Food Safety Protocol, for example, in terms of protecting watercourses. Active substances that are no longer permitted in the EU will, in return, also no longer be permitted in Switzerland, with immediate effect. This safeguards the supply of organic and conventional plant protection products for agriculture, and Swiss producers will be on a par with those from neighbouring EU countries.
Agreement between Switzerland and Norway
In this agreement, Switzerland and Norway acknowledge the equivalence of their veterinary regulations governing trade in animals and products of animal origin.
The scope of this agreement to Annex 11 of the Agreement on trade in agricultural products between Switzerland and the EU (see chapter above). The European veterinary area therefore officially consists of the EU, Norway and Switzerland, including Liechtenstein.
Agreement between Switzerland and New Zealand
In this agreement, Switzerland and New Zealand acknowledge the equivalence of veterinary regulations governing trade in animals and products of animal origin.
Provided that it is pursued within the defined scope, trade between Switzerland and New Zealand is subject to the same framework conditions as trade between the EU and New Zealand.
Last modification 13.03.2026
