Importing from China to Switzerland: conformity
Start with product conformity: Swiss official guidance makes importers responsible for meeting the applicable technical requirements. Agree the freight arrival port and onward route into Switzerland, then have your own broker confirm the final entry. The China-side sourcing and shipment checks are managed by Cambridge China Bridge.
Start with the product conformity gate
Swiss official guidance states that importers are responsible for their products conforming to the applicable technical requirements. Before ordering, ask a Swiss product compliance adviser to identify the requirements for your exact product and intended use. Turn that advice into a factory brief covering the evidence, testing, labels and instructions to check before shipment.
Send the adviser the product specification, materials, intended users and existing factory reports. Ask which documents are acceptable and what is missing. Agree to resolve gaps before production or dispatch. A supplier's inspection report answers a different question from product conformity, as our audit and inspection report guide explains.
Define what priced to your port includes
We can source through our UK company and quote to your nominated freight arrival port. For sea freight, name that port and the onward delivery point in Switzerland. Ask the quote to distinguish freight to the port, destination handling, onward transport and Swiss clearance. Agree the delivery term and insurance scope in writing.
The goods need not pass through a UK warehouse. Buying from China outside the UK explains the procurement arrangement; our buy-through-UK-company service sets out the commercial route. If comparing destinations, use the Ireland guide for Ireland's entry process and have your Swiss broker confirm your Swiss shipment. For Germany, see our guide to product conformity for German imports.
Give your own broker the arrival work
Swiss customs states that merchandise imported into Switzerland must be declared in writing or electronically. Appoint your own customs broker before shipping and agree who supplies the declaration data, who coordinates with the carrier and who answers document queries.
Ask the broker to confirm classification, customs value, applicable duties and import VAT, and any product-specific permits or restrictions before you commit. For arrival, agree a scope covering submission of the declaration, handling customs queries, coordinating any examination and arranging release with the carrier. Your own customs broker confirms the final entry.
Build the document pack in China
We coordinate the commercial invoice and packing list with the factory or agreed seller. Check the invoice against the actual transaction: seller, buyer, product description, quantities, value, currency and delivery term. Reconcile the packing list with carton marks, contents and weights. Send drafts to your broker before dispatch so discrepancies can be corrected.
Ask the broker whether a certificate of origin is needed and which form they want; we coordinate obtaining it from the exporter when agreed. The factory supplies available product test reports, and we check their product identity and configuration against your order. Where further testing is agreed, we coordinate it and assemble the resulting reports. Keep laboratory evidence separate from inspection findings.
Check the supplier and shipment before release
Our own staff in China check the supplier's identity, production site and capability against your order. We compare the named supplier, invoice issuer and payment recipient, and establish who will manufacture and export the goods. The factory audit checklist covers the detailed supplier checks.
Before shipment, inspect against the approved sample and written specification, including workmanship, dimensions, function, packaging and agreed labels. Record defects, require corrections and send the findings for your release decision. Agree any loading check separately. Factory audits and inspections are usually included in the quote; complex checks that need a third party are charged separately and agreed in advance.
Frequently asked questions
Who is responsible for Swiss product conformity?
Swiss official guidance makes the importer responsible for conformity with applicable technical requirements. Ask a Swiss compliance adviser to identify the evidence needed for your exact product before ordering.
Can a UK sourcing company quote to my port?
Yes. Name the freight arrival port and onward delivery point in Switzerland. Agree which freight, handling, insurance and onward transport costs the quote includes.
What does my Swiss customs broker handle?
Agree a scope covering the import declaration, classification and valuation checks, customs queries, applicable duties and VAT, and release coordination. Your own broker confirms the final entry.
Which documents should I request from China?
Request the commercial invoice, packing list and product test reports. Ask your broker whether a certificate of origin or other product documents are needed. We coordinate the pack and check it against the order before shipment.