Food safety

Trade in food and agricultural products between Switzerland and the EU is worth more than CHF 16 billion each year. The EU is Switzerland's biggest trading partner. This is particularly evident in agricultural produce. Switzerland and the EU want to work more closely together in the area of food safety in order to ensure the long-term safety of these products and foodstuffs in joint trade and to protect consumers from counterfeiting and fraud. 

The purpose of this single market agreement is to create a comprehensive, common food safety area across the entire food chain – from farm to fork. This requires an update and expansion of the existing agricultural agreement of 1999.

Specifically, Switzerland will obtain access to the relevant EU committees and working groups. These include its warning systems (including counterfeit protection and the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed RASFF) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). At the same time, Swiss food producers will have better access to the single market (and EU producers to the Swiss market).

Cooperation in admission processes will also be strengthened, for example in the areas of novel foods and plant protection products.

Existing exemptions will be retained (including the ban on genetically modified seeds and the ban on transporting animals for slaughter by road). New exemptions for the safeguarding of Swiss standards will be incorporated into the agreement, notably with regard to animal protection and new food production technologies.

Agricultural policy is not affected by the agreement, meaning both parties remain free to shape their own policies. The same applies to the existing border protections for agricultural products (through customs duties and quotas).

Factsheet: Food safety (PDF, 2 Pages, 206.0 kB, English)