International agreements define and supervise the framework conditions that ensure international trade is safe for people and animals. The FSVO contributes to technical adaptations and the ongoing development of existing agreements.
The FSVO contributes to a number of international agreements with the aim of ensuring safety in international trade. The most important Swiss agreements in the fields of animal health, food safety and species conservation are listed below.
Swiss-EU: Agreement on agriculture and food safety
Trade in food and agricultural products between Switzerland and the EU is worth more than CHF 16 billion every year. The EU is Switzerland's main trading partner. Agricultural products provide a clear illustration of this: 50% of Swiss exports in this sector go to the EU, while 74% of imports originate from the EU.
Switzerland has reached agreement with the EU on stabilising the agreement on agriculture and, in addition to its further development, on a new protocol on food safety. The agreement offers significant advantages for the Swiss food industry, for plant and animal health and for consumer protection.
The advantages at a glance
1. Closer cooperation beetween Switzerland and EU
A common food safety area strengthens cooperation between Switzerland and the EU along the entire food supply chain: the safety of agricultural products and foods in mutual trade is guaranteed in the long term, and consumer protection and the prohibition of misleading practices are strengthened.
2. Market access
The removal of non-tariff trade barriers in the common food safety area will facilitate access to the EU market for Swiss farmers and food producers.
3. Sovereign agricultural policy
Switzerland will continue to shape its agricultural policy independently. Border protection (customs duties and quotas) for agricultural products will remain unchanged.
4. Food safety
Switzerland will get access to the relevant EU networks and working groups, including the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), EU risk assessments and EU early alert systems. Switzerland will be included in the EU system for the authorisation of plant protection products. It has also been agreed that the obligation to indicate the country of origin will remain in place for foods sold in Switzerland.
5. Combating fraud
Joint efforts to combat counterfeiting and fraud offer the Swiss food industry greater protection and thus strengthen consumer protection.
6. Genetically modified organisms (GMO)
Switzerland has a more restrictive legislation on GMOs than the EU. Swiss regulations on GMOs remain in place for animal feed, seeds and foodstuffs as an exemption.
7. Animal welfare
Switzerland's higher animal welfare standards will remain in place. The ban on animal transit has also been permanently secured, as an exemption.
8. Animal health
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. It also strengthens the joint commitment to combating antibiotic resistance.
At its meeting on 13 June 2025, the Swiss Federal Council opened the consultation procedure on the Switzerland-EU package. The consultation is expected to last until 31 October 2025.
Animal health and food safety agreements
Veterinary Agreement between Switzerland and the EU
The Veterinary Agreement governs the control of animal diseases, trade in animals and animal products and the import of these animals and products from third countries. It forms the basis of the common veterinary area that facilitates trade with the EU.
Veterinary Agreement Switzerland - EU
Agreement between Switzerland and Norway
In this agreement, Switzerland and Norway acknowledge the equivalence of their respective veterinary regulations governing trade with animals and products of animal origin (Veterinary Agreement Switzerland - Norway (in German)).
The scope of this agreement is the same as that of Annex 11 of the Agreement on trade in agricultural products between the EU and Switzerland (see "Veterinary Agreement Switzerland - EU"). The European veterinary area therefore officially consists of the EU, Norway and Switzerland (with Liechtenstein).
Agreement between Switzerland and New Zealand
In this agreement, Switzerland and New Zealand acknowledge the equivalence of their respective veterinary regulations governing trade with animals and products of animal origin (Veterinary Agreement Switzerland - New Zealand (in German)).
It applies to the following animal species: cattle, pigs, equidae, poultry and hatching eggs, aquacultures, sheep, goats and animals as stipulated in EU Directive 92/65/EEC. This states that the legislation in both countries is equivalent. 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.
SPS Agreement
The Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement, Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures) contains regulations governing measures to protect the health of people, animals and plants that can have a direct or indirect impact on international trade.
The agreement was an initiative of the World Trade Organization WTO.
Species conservation agreements
CITES - Wild fauna and flora
CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), also known as the Washington Convention, is an international trade convention ratified by 180 states.
Extensive international trade is endangering or could endanger many species of animals and plants. These species should only be traded to the extent permitted by their natural populations.
As the enforcement authority for CITES, the FSVO plays an important role in protecting and conserving animal and plant species and their habitats. The legal basis for enforcement is the Federal Act on the Trade in Protected Animal and Plant Species (FA-CITES) (in German)
International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW)
The International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW) (in German) regulates whaling worldwide. The intention is to provide adequate protection for whales while at the same time making whaling possible and regulating it. The ICRW currently has 88 member states.
Last modification 17.06.2025
