Circuit boards count as industrial products, and since 1 January 2024 Switzerland no longer charges customs duty on industrial products. Import VAT and the customs declaration remain. The goods are cleared by the courier, by Swiss Post, or by the manufacturer if delivered duty paid (DDP) has been agreed. Through Vemente too, the courier or Swiss Post usually bills you for the charges directly.
What applies when importing circuit boards
These rules apply to all consignments of goods from abroad, circuit boards included. Each courier and Swiss Post set their own charges for customs clearance.
‘Als Industrieprodukte gelten in der Schweiz alle Güter mit Ausnahme der Agrarprodukte (inkl. landwirtschaftliche Verarbeitungsprodukte und Futtermittel) und der Fischereierzeugnisse. […] Damit fallen für diese Produkte unabhängig des Warenursprungs seit dem 1. Januar 2024 bei der Einfuhr in die Schweiz keine Zölle mehr an.’Translation ‘In Switzerland, industrial products are all goods except agricultural products (incl. processed agricultural products and animal feed) and fishery products. […] As a result, since 1 January 2024 no customs duties are charged on these products when they are imported into Switzerland, regardless of where the goods originate.’
‘Die Kurierfirmen und die Post erheben für ihre Dienstleistungen im Rahmen der Zollveranlagung verschiedene Taxen. Diese Taxen sind je nach Firma verschieden. Vielfach werden sie „Verzollungskosten" genannt, das BAZG hat jedoch keinen Einfluss darauf.’Translation ‘Courier companies and Swiss Post charge various fees for their services in customs clearance. These fees differ from company to company. They are often called ‘customs clearance costs’, but the FOCBS has no influence over them.’
Whether buying through Vemente fits your rules is your company's decision.
Your routes for circuit boards from Asia
A good purchase starts with knowing, before you order, who clears customs and who pays the charges.
| Order yourself, the courier clears the goods | The courier declares the consignment to the FOCBS, based on the manufacturer's details. It advances the VAT and bills it to you with its own fee. The manufacturer is set up as a supplier at your company, or the order is paid by card and claimed. |
|---|---|
| Order yourself, shipping by post | If the manufacturer offers postal shipping, Swiss Post handles customs clearance. For consignments from outside the EU it charges a base price of CHF 16.00 and 3% of the value of the goods including shipping costs and charges, at most CHF 70.00, excluding VAT (read on 3 Nov 2026). |
| Have the goods delivered duty paid (DDP) | The manufacturer takes care of customs clearance and the charges and includes them in its price. This must be agreed and noted on the accompanying documents. Whether a manufacturer offers DDP to Switzerland is in its shipping terms. |
| Order through Vemente | Your company sets up Vemente once as a supplier. Vemente checks and pays the manufacturer. It's quick. |
Ordering circuit boards from the manufacturer through Vemente
Vemente buys from the manufacturer in its own name and resells the goods to your company. The goods go straight from the manufacturer to you.
We check the manufacturer in the commercial register, against sanctions lists, for export control and for adverse media. Then we pay it, also in advance and in its currency.
You receive a quote by email. We order once you have accepted it and the order is approved. Depending on what your company sets, orders are approved automatically, through Vemente's AI approval or by your people. The fee is 2.8% of the order value, minimum CHF 19, or EUR 19 in euro countries.
If the goods come from abroad, the courier or Swiss Post usually bills you for the clearance, any customs duty and the import VAT. These amounts are not part of the invoice from Vemente.
If something is wrong, damaged or missing, we sort it out with the supplier.
Questions about importing circuit boards
Is there customs duty on circuit boards?
Circuit boards are not agricultural products, so they count as industrial products. Since 1 January 2024 Switzerland no longer charges customs duty on industrial products, whatever the country of origin. That is what SECO states. How a product is classified is shown in the customs tariff Tares.
How much is the VAT on import?
8.1% of the taxable amount. This includes the price of the goods and all costs up to the destination in Switzerland, freight and clearance charges included. The FOCBS does not collect tax amounts up to CHF 5. According to the FOCBS, at 8.1% this corresponds to a taxable amount of CHF 62.
Is proof of origin needed?
Since 1 January 2024, no proof of origin is needed for industrial products that stay in Switzerland. The duty to file a customs declaration remains. That is what SECO states.
Send us what you need. We send you a quote by email.