I. Import Trade Situation and Market Opportunities for Swiss Biscuits

In recent years, China’s imported-food market has continued to expand; 2023 customs data show that imports of baked goods rose 18 % year-on-year. Swiss biscuits, branded with “high quality” and “craftsmanship heritage,” have become a hot category amid consumption upgrades. After the China–Switzerland Free Trade Agreement (CHFTA) took effect, tariffs on Swiss-origin biscuits fell from the MFN rate of 15 % to the preferential rate of 0–5 % (depending on the HS code), sharply improving import cost-effectiveness.

However, it should be noted that the international trade environment is undergoing profound changes: Customs General Administration Announcement No. 12 of 2024 has strengthened the “double random” inspection mechanism for imported food, making document compliance and cargo consistency the focal points of inspection; at the same time, the EU’s regulatory coordination for food exports to Switzerland is tightening, and certain additive standards must comply with China’s GB 2760 requirements. At this juncture, professionalforeign tradeThe involvement of an agent can effectively mitigate policy risks and shorten the customs clearance cycle.

II. Swiss BiscuitsImport Customs ClearanceCore Document Analysis and the Advantages of Agency Services

Documentation is the "lifeline" of import customs clearance; the following key documents must be submitted for the import of Swiss biscuits:

1. Commercial Invoice: The goods description, unit price, and total amount must be stated and must match the contract; otherwise, it may trigger a customs price inquiry.
2. Packing List: Specify the gross weight, net weight, and specifications for each carton; if mixed loading is involved, mark them clearly to avoid “cargo-list discrepancy” during inspection;
3. Bill of Lading:?Ocean shipping?Choose a clean bill of lading (Clean B/L),?Air freight?Attention must be paid to the hand-off between the Master AWB and the House AWB;
4. Certificate of Origin（FORM S）: Under the CHFTA rules of origin, it must be issued by Swiss customs or an authorized body and include the "Product Specific Rules" (PSR) clause; the goods must meet either the "wholly obtained" criterion or the requirement that "regional value content ≥ 40%", otherwise the preferential tariff under the agreement cannot be applied;
5. Health Certificate: Issued by the Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO), it must state "Complies with Chinese food safety standards," with particular emphasis on verifying limits for microorganisms and additives (e.g., potassium sorbate, ammonium bicarbonate);
6. Certificate of Analysis (COA): All raw materials and additives must be listed and compared with China’s GB 2760-2014; claims such as “trans-fat free” must be supported by test reports.
7. Chinese label sample and its English translation: Must comply with GB 7718-2011, including country of origin, domestic distributor information, nutrition facts table (NRV%), etc. Pre-audit can prevent re-labeling delays after arrival at the port.

?Zhong Shen?As a professional agent, we provide a “three-review, three-proof” service: pre-audit of documents (verifying completeness before contract signing), system-entry review (preventing errors in customs declaration fields), and post-release file audit (retained for three years for inspection). We also partner with local Swiss customs brokers to quickly coordinate exporters in correcting documents such as FORM S and health certificates. Historical data show that the rejection rate for documents handled by our agency is 2.3 percentage points below the industry average.

3. End-to-End Logistics Management: Seamless Integration from Swiss Factory to China Warehouse

Logistics directly affects delivery time and cost; the optimal solution must be chosen based on the characteristics of the biscuits (e.g., a shelf life of 6–12 months):

• ?Ocean shipping?: Suitable for large volumes (≥2,000 kg), low cost (approx. US$0.8–1.2/kg), but long transit time (Basel, Switzerland → Shanghai port ≈ 35 days). Pay attention to container temperature control (recommended 15–25 °C) to prevent biscuits from softening due to high temperatures;
• ?Air freight?: Suitable for small batches or rush orders (≤1,000 kg), short lead time (Zurich → Shanghai in about 5–7 days), high cost (approx. USD 4–6/kg), and advance confirmation of the airline’s temperature-control requirements for food shipments is required (e.g., SWISS’s “Fresh Cargo” service).

The professional value of an agent is reflected in:

1. Booking resource integration: Established long-term agreements with carriers such as MSC and CMA, as well as airlines including Air China and Lufthansa, securing priority space allocation and negotiating freight discounts of 10–15%.
2. In-transit monitoring: Real-time monitoring of container temperature and humidity via logistics tracking systems (e.g., Maersk Remote Container Management); if anomalies occur, an emergency response (such as rerouting the vessel or adding ice packs) is triggered within four hours;
3. Surrender and exchange of bill of lading at destination port: Obtain the electronic manifest (EIS) three days in advance, coordinate with the shipping agent/airline to complete the switch bill, and avoid demurrage charges (approximately RMB 200–500 per container per day) caused by “document-cargo mismatch.”

In 2023, a customer imported a 20-foot container of Swiss chocolate biscuits. Due to a last-minute route change by the carrier, the estimated arrival at port was delayed by seven days. The agent urgently contacted a partner yard at the Port of Shanghai and coordinated with customs to adopt the “advance declaration” model. Upon arrival, the goods were inspected and released within two hours, avoiding RMB 30,000 in demurrage charges.

IV. Customs Compliance Operations: Mitigating Inspection Risks and Optimizing Duties and Taxes

Customs clearance is the core stage of the customs process and requires special attention:

• HS Code Classification: Swiss biscuits are normally classified under 1905.31 (biscuits, including wafers and communion wafers); care must be taken to distinguish them from 1905.90 (other baked pastry goods). Incorrect classification may lead to tariff differences (the bound rate for 1905.31 is 5 %, whereas 1905.90 is 10 %);
• Tariff calculation: Customs value = goods value + freight + insurance; if transshipped via Hong Kong, an “Certificate of Non-Manipulation” must be provided, otherwise it may be deemed by Customs as “circumvention of rules of origin”;
• Tariff Dispute: In 2024, the inspection rate for Swiss food products is about 8%. The main checks are: ① whether Chinese labels have been affixed (if not, the goods must be rectified in a bonded warehouse, with a storage fee of RMB 200–300 per day); ② whether the goods match the “product name and specifications” on the health certificate; ③ whether undeclared ingredients are present (for example, one batch was deemed “information incomplete” because the certificate did not state “contains almonds,” requiring additional testing).

The agent can assist with: ① pre-classification services (providing references for customs advance rulings); ② pre-filing review of tariff codes (preventing errors in the 8-digit HS code); ③ on-site support during inspections (translating certificates and explaining processes). In the inspection cases handled by the agent in 2023, 90% were released within 48 hours—50% faster than self-clearance.

V. Expansion of Business with Russia: VTB?Foreign exchange settlement?Advantages Empower Cross-Regional Trade

While some clients import Swiss biscuits, they may simultaneously engage in exports to Russia (e.g., via Moscow-based distribution). In such cases, foreign-exchange settlement efficiency becomes critical. Zhongshen International Trade has partnered with VTB Bank to deliver three key advantages in settlement:

1. Rate discount: Direct RUB/CNY settlement, eliminating USD intermediary exchange losses; overall fees are 0.3–0.5% lower than those of conventional banks;
2. Arrival time: T+1 settlement (standard banks T+3), ideal for small and medium-sized clients needing rapid fund recovery;
3. Flexible currency: Supports multi-currency settlement in EUR, CHF, and RUB, catering to the distinct needs of Swiss suppliers and Russian buyers.

For example, when a client exported Chinese biscuits to Russia, they settled the foreign exchange through VTB: on a USD 1 million order, they saved CNY 12,000 in exchange losses, shortened the collection cycle by two days, and secured the cash flow for their supply chain.

VI. Import Certification Reminder: Key qualifications that the customer must obtain on their own

Although certification services are not provided, clients must be reminded of the following required qualifications:

1. Registration of overseas production enterprises：瑞士餅干生產(chǎn)企業(yè)需在海關(guān)總署”進口食品境外生產(chǎn)企業(yè)注冊管理系統(tǒng)”（FASFC）備案，可通過FSVO官網(wǎng)查詢注冊狀態(tài)（網(wǎng)址：www.fsvo.admin.ch）；
2. Chinese label filing: Label pre-review must be completed before the goods arrive at the port (submitted via the "Internet + Customs" platform), with a focus on verifying the format of the "production date/shelf life" labeling (it must read "see packaging inkjet code" or give a specific date);
3. Special certifications: For organic biscuits, both the Swiss organic certification (Bio Suisse) and a conversion certificate recognized by CNCA are required; if claiming "gluten-free," an ISO 20483 test report (gluten ≤20 ppm) must be provided.

Advise the client to initiate the registration/filing process three months in advance to prevent goods from being held up in the bonded warehouse due to missing qualifications (storage fee: approximately 500–800 RMB per day).

7. End-to-End Agency Services: One-Stop Assurance from Consultation to Feedback

Zhongshen International Trade willImport AgencyBroken down into nine key stages, each with its own professional intervention point:

1. Client Consultation: Clarify the scope of service through the "Needs Assessment Form" (whether advance funding is included and whether door-to-door service is required);
2. Negotiation and Contract Signing: Review the contract's "quality clause" (e.g., "breakage rate ≤ 0.5%") and "dispute resolution" (select the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission);
3. Orders & Payment: Assist in selecting T/T (30% deposit + 70% on arrival) or?L/C?(L/C at sight), mitigating the risk of "payment made but no goods delivered";
4. Production supervision: Upon customer request, a factory inspection can be entrusted to Switzerland-based SGS to verify production conditions and formula consistency;
5. Logistics Management: Create a "Logistics Timeline" (Swiss factory → port → China customs clearance → delivery), with SMS/email alerts at key milestones;
6. Customs Compliance: Provide a "Customs Clearance Progress Dashboard" that updates the "Declaration–Inspection–Release" status in real time;
7. Delivery and Distribution: In partnership with JD Logistics and SF Cold Chain, we support nationwide delivery within 48 hours (72 hours for remote areas);
8. Quality Assurance: After arrival, samples are drawn and sent for testing (collaborative laboratories: SGS, CTI), and an "Arrival Quality Report" is issued;
9. Summary Feedback: Provide a "Customs Clearance Cost Analysis Sheet" (including detailed breakdowns of ocean freight, customs duties, and warehousing fees) to help the client optimize the budget for the next shipment.

Take the Q1 2024 import project for a supermarket chain as an example: the client’s requirement was “3,000 kg of Swiss milk biscuits in-store within 60 days.” The agent: ① secured a Lufthansa block-space agreement in advance, cutting air-freight transit to 7 days; ② during pre-audit spotted that the additive list on the sanitary certificate was missing “ammonium bicarbonate,” then coordinated the Swiss exporter to correct it within 48 hours; ③ used the “two-step declaration” (summary + full declaration) at customs, so the shipment was released 12 hours after arrival. In the end, the goods reached 50 stores nationwide in 58 days, earning a customer-satisfaction score of 9.8 out of 10.

Conclusion: Swiss biscuit import customs clearance is a dual test of “expertise + experience.” Choosing a foreign-trade agent with document-handling, logistics-integration, and compliance-operation capabilities can effectively cut time costs and policy risks. With 20 years of deep focus on import agency services, Zhongshen International Trade has served over 500 food importers. Committed to “making customs clearance simpler,” we help our clients seize market opportunities.