China- Switzerland Free Trade Agreement

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The Free Trade Agreement between China and Switzerland entered into force in July 2014. 

It provides for preferential tariff rates and/or full tariff elimination for most industrial products across HS sectors 25 through 97 including most energy products and its constituents including but not limited to: 

  • Electric motors, turbines and generators; 
  • Mechanical equipment including pumps, appliances, and other advanced machinery; 
  • Electric accumulators, transformers, capacitors, batteries; 
  • Motor vehicles; 
  • Mineral ore, slag and ash; 
  • Mineral fuels, oils and other products; 
  • Metals and their articles e.g. iron and steel; 
  • Semiconductors devices and photovoltaic cells; 


Rule of origins apply to qualify for the preferential tariff treatment. Conditions to confer originating status notably include: 

  • For ores, slag and ash, it requires to be wholly obtained in a party
  • For mineral fuels and oils, metals (including iron and steel) and selected machinery, it requires i. most non-originating materials used in the production of the product to undergo a change in tariff classification or ii. value of non-originating materials to not exceed 60% of the ex works price of the product
  • For most of the remaining products listed above, it requires value of non-originating materials to not exceed 50-60% of the ex works price of the product

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