The Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG) and the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) or the national plant protection organisation of the country of destination may, on request, grant exemptions from trade regulations for certain purposes:
• Authorisations for the handling (including transfer, import) of quarantine organisms outside of closed systems.
• Switzerland: exemptions from the requirement for a plant passport for research purposes and for the conservation of directly threatened phytogenetic resources for food and agriculture.
• Import from non-EU countries: the SPPS may, in justified cases, grant an exemption (authorisation) for the import of goods otherwise prohibited (see Fact Sheet no. 1), upon submission of an appropriate application (see application form under “Forms” below).
• Export to the EU and to non-EU countries: for exchanges of specific plant material for scientific purposes and for shipments of plant material suspected (or known) to be infested by quarantine organisms, e.g. to diagnostic laboratories, an import licence is required. This is issued by the national plant protection organisation of the country of destination.