Switzerland and the EU

Switzerland, Liechtenstein and the EU form a common phytosanitary area, within which plant material can, in principle, be freely transported (no systematic border controls). However, in certain cases, legal restrictions apply; these are summarised on this page.

Note: The United Kingdom (with the exception of Northern Ireland) is considered as a non-EU country for trade in plant material since 1 January 2021 (for more information, see below).

Brexit: What will apply from 1 January 2021?

The United Kingdom (UK) left the EU at the end of January 2020, with a transitional period until the end of 2020. Since 1 January 2021 the UK (with the exception of Northern Ireland) is considered as a non-EU country for trade in plant material.

This concretely means the following:

For imports of fresh plant material (plants, fruits, vegetables, cut flowers etc.) from the UK (except Northern Ireland) into Switzerland and the EU, a phytosanitary certificate will in principle be required from 1 January 2021. In addition, certain goods (e.g. vine plants) will be subject to an import ban from that date, as is already the case for other non-EU countries. Exports of plant products to the UK must comply with the new UK phytosanitary rules (a phytosanitary certificate is often also required; for more information see https://www.gov.uk/guidance/importing-and-exporting-plants-and-plant-products-from-1-january-2021).
Northern Ireland is practically considered as a European Union state: plants and other goods requiring a plant passport can continue to be traded between Northern Ireland and Switzerland/EU with a plant passport. It is still possible to trade other plant products (vegetables, cut flowers, fruits, etc.) with Northern Ireland without phytosanitary documents.

Movements between Switzerland and the EU

In principle, goods for which a plant passport is required (e.g. plants, see below) may only be imported to Switzerland or exported to the EU with a plant passport. Exception: if the goods are imported in your personal baggage, then a plant passport is not required.

For what goods is a plant passport required?

Plants and parts of plants (other than seeds) which are intended to remain planted, to be planted or to be replanted, regardless of the botanical species – for example, pot plants, plant arrangements in bowls, seedlings, cuttings, tissue cultures, bulbs, tubers, etc.
Seeds of certain species (see below)
Citrus fruits with leaves and peduncles
Wood obtained from Juglans (walnut), Platanus (plane) and Pterocarya (wingnut)
Plants and parts of plants not intended for planting (other than their fruits and seeds) of the following genera: Choisya (Mexican orange), Citrus (citrus plants), Fortunella (kumquat), Poncirus (trifoliate orange) and their hybrids, Casimiroa, Clausena, Murraya (flowering plants of the citrus family), Vepris, Zanthoxylum and Vitis (grapevine)

Further information on the plant passport and on goods for which a plant passport is required

Other plant material such as fruits, vegetables and cut flowers may be imported and exported without a plant passport.

Import licences for forest reproductive material

Imports of forest reproductive material require a licence issued by the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN).

More information on FOEN

Quarantine zones

From areas in Switzerland and the EU where a quarantine pest is present, certain goods may only be transported with a plant passport.

Further information on quarantine pests