e-Customs Study: Private Sector Views on Potential Benefits of Further Electronic Customs Developments in Switzerland

This research paper explores the current state of play regarding crossborder trade and logistics operations in Switzerland, aiming to identify opportunities to reduce costs and to improve efficiencies in cross-border supply chains, covering procedures, tools and services associated with import, export and transit procedures. The study present the following conclusions and recommendations: Interactive and user friendly e-Customs services which facilitate the preparation, filing, tracking and storage of customs declarations, amongst other functions, can help to reduce costs and improve efficiencies in cross-border supply chains. Design and implementation of e-Customs services need to be driven by tangible benefits for the private sector, including facilitating export procedures, improving flexibility when working with customs, reducing the need to re-enter any customs data during the declaration processes, and enabling a seamless flow of data between the parties involved.