I.Swiss biscuitsThe core value: the dual guarantee of professionalism and efficiency

In the field of food imports,Swiss biscuits are renowned for their "Alpine quality",but the complexity of cross-border trade often deters many enterprises.The core value of professional import agency services lies in effectively bridging the gap between "Swiss quality" and "Chinese speed" through 20 years of accumulated experience in document processing,a global logistics network,and strong trade compliance capabilities.As a senior consultant with 20 years of experience in theAs a professional institution,we focus on the three pillars of "documentation - logistics - compliance",helping clients solve all the pain points along the entire supply chain from Swiss factories to Chinese warehouses,ensuring that goods arrive "safely,compliantly,and on time".

II.Opportunities and Challenges of Swiss Cookie Import under the International Trade Situation

At present,the China-Switzerland Free Trade Agreement (FTA) continues to deepen,and the tariffs on Swiss food products (HS 1905) have been reduced to 0% (subject to providing a FORM CH).The free trade agreement between Switzerland and the European Union (EU) has created tariff advantages for the import of Swiss biscuits.However,the challenges are also significant: the EU’s "New Food Regulation" (EU 2015/2283) has strengthened the requirements for traceability of ingredients in exported foods.As a neighboring country of the EU,Switzerland’s exported foods must meet equivalent standards.At the same time,global trade is facing increasing uncertainties due to the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical tensions,which may further complicate the export of Swiss biscuits to the EU market.Price fluctuations (the freight rates on the Mediterranean-Far East route in 2023 dropped by 60% compared to the peak in 2021,but are still higher than before the pandemic),port congestion (such as the average waiting time of 72 hours at the Port of Rotterdam),and cross-border settlement risks (SWIFT system restrictions on some banks) all pose challenges to the professional response capabilities of import enterprises.

III.Detailed explanation of the full-process agency service: Nine key stages from consultation to delivery

1.Client Consultation: Precise Needs Assessment

Output:

The agency service begins with an in-depth understanding of the client’s needs,including cookie categories (crispy/chewy/biscuits),specifications (small packages/gift boxes),import quantities (LCL consolidated cargo or FCL full container),target markets (East China/South China),and special requirements (such as halal certification and organic labels).Through pre-classification of HS codes (e.g.1905.3100 "Sweet Cookies"),regulatory requirements (A/B customs supervision conditions,registration requirements for overseas food producers) are clarified in advance.

2.Negotiation and signing of the contract: Legal protection for the transaction terms

Output:

The agency agreement needs to clearly define the responsibilities and boundaries,including whether to provide advance financing (T/T 30% prepayment),the standards for document review (such as the health certificate must include a statement that it "meets the Chinese GB 2760 Food Additives Standards"),and the allocation of responsibilities for logistics delays (who will bear the demurrage charges).Special note: It is necessary to verify the qualifications of the Swiss suppliers and ensure that they are registered in China (the list of enterprises registered with the General Administration of Customs can be checked in Announcement No.141).

3.Orders and Payments: Balancing Fund Safety and Efficiency

Output:

Based on the customer’s credit rating,we recommend the following payment methods: For small and medium-sized orders,we suggest T/T (30% prepayment + 70% upon receipt of the bill of lading copy); for large orders,we recommend using L/C.(Letter of Credit),but it’s important to note that Swiss banks (such as UBS) conduct strict reviews of documents (with non-conformity fees typically set at USD 80 per document).For Russian transit business,VTB Bank (Russia) can be used as a processing bank.The bank has implemented RMB/RUB settlement to circumvent SWIFT restrictions,with the settlement period being shortened by 2-3 working days compared to the traditional USD route.

4.Production Supervision: Dual Control of Quality and Compliance

Output:

Although they are not directly involved in production,agents can assist in reviewing production records (such as the batches of raw materials purchased and the amount of additives used) to ensure consistency with export documents (commercial invoices,packing lists).Particular attention should be paid to allergen labels (e.g."Contains Nuts" for products containing nuts),to avoid having the goods returned by customs due to labeling issues.

5.Logistics Management: "Door-to-Door" from the Alps to Chinese ports

Output:

The choice of transportation mode requires balancing cost and efficiency:

• Seafreight(mainsolution):Swissfactory→Rotterdam/Hamburgports(about3daysofinlandtrucktransportation)→FarEastshippingroute(35-40daystoShanghai/Ningbo)→Customsclearance→Domesticdistribution(landtransportationtoEastChinawarehousetakesabout2days).Forfullcontainerloads(FCL),itisrecommendedtouse40-foothigh-cubecontainers(whichcanholdabout25tons),whileforLCLshipments,attentionshouldbepaidtotheoriginportcharges(ORCisapproximatelyUSD400/20GP).
• (Emergencyorder):Zurich→ShanghaiPudong(10-hourflight),thecostpertonofcargoplaneisapproximatelyUSD4-6/kg,suitableforsmallbatchesandhigh-valuegiftboxes.

The core document of logistics is the bill of lading (B/L),which must be a "clean bill of lading" (without any adverse annotations) and consistent with the manifest information (to avoid customs inspection and verification).

6.Customs Compliance: Precise Matching of Documentation with Tariff Regulations

Output:

10+ core documents need to be submitted:

• Basicdocuments:Commercialinvoice(whichmustshowtheFOBprice),packinglist(grossweight/netweight/numberofpieces),billoflading(electronicororiginal);
• Regulatorydocuments:Swissofficialhealthcertificate(issuedbyFSVO,whichmuststatethat"theproductcomplieswithChina’snationalfoodsafetystandards")andFORMCHcertificateoforigin(issuedbythechamberofcommerce,andthestampofthecertificationagencymustbeverified);
• Auxiliarydocuments:Ingredientanalysisreport(includingthetypesandlimitsofadditives)andlabelsamples(whichmustcomplywiththeGeneralPrinciplesofLabelingforPrepackagedFoodsGB7718).

Customs focus on reviewing the following aspects: HS classification (1905.31 vs 1905.90),the authenticity of the certificate of origin (verified through the "Certificate of Origin Verification" module on the China International Trade Single Window),and the customs value (CIF price = FOB + freight + insurance,with a freight invoice required as supporting evidence).

7.Delivery and Distribution: The "Last Mile" of Domestic Logistics

Output:

After customs clearance and release,we will arrange delivery according to the client’s requirements:

• Directdeliverytoterminals:CooperatewithJDLogisticsandShunfengColdChaintoensurethetransportationconditionsofproductsatroomtemperature/refrigeratedtemperature(suchasbutter-filledsandwichcookies);
• WarehousingandDistribution:WehavesignedcontractswiththeShanghaiWaigaoqiaoBondedWarehouseandtheGuangzhouNanshaBondedWarehouse,andoffersupportforbatch-wisewarehouserelease(toreducecapitaloccupancy).

8.Quality Assurance: Final Inspection Before Storage

Output:

The agent cooperates with third-party inspection agencies (such as SGS) to conduct spot checks on the arriving goods,with the focus on verifying the following aspects:

• Sensoryindicators(color,shape);
• Physicochemicalindicators(watercontent,fatcontent);
• Safetyindicators(microorganisms,heavymetals).

If any damage to the goods is found (such as packaging being damaged due to transportation pressure),we can assist in making a claim to the insurance company (which requires purchasing marine all-risks insurance).The compensation period is typically 15-30 working days.

9.Summary and feedback: Data-driven reports help with decision-making

Output:

Provide the "Full Process Analysis Report on Imports",which covers the following aspects:

• Costbreakdown(proportionofshippingcosts/tariffs/customsclearancefees);
• Timeefficiencyanalysis(thetimetakenforeachstepfromfactoryshipmenttoportarrivalandcustomsclearance);
• RiskAlert(suchasthedisputedpointsofHSclassificationinthiscase,andthecertificationsthatneedtobehandledinadvancenexttime).

IV.Certification Reminder: The critical steps that customers must complete on their own

Special note: The agency service does not include product certification processing,but the following certifications are essential for importation,and clients need to initiate them 60 days in advance:

• RegistrationofOverseasFoodProductionEnterprisesforImport:Swissbiscuitmanufacturersneedtocompletetheregistrationonthe"RegistrationManagementSystemforOverseasFoodProductionEnterprisesImportedintoChina"oftheGeneralAdministrationofCustoms(registrationnumberformat:CH+6digits);
• Labelfiling/recordfiling:ChineselabelsmustcomplywithGB7718(mandatorylabelingcontent:productname,ingredientlist,productiondate,shelflife,andimporterinformation)andGB28050(nutritionlabel),anditisrecommendedtosubmitthelabelforfilingthroughthe"Internet+Customs"platformbeforeshipment.
• Specialcertification(ifrequired):OrganicbiscuitsmustbeaccompaniedbyaconversioncertificaterecognizedbyBioSuisse(theSwissorganiccertificationorganization)andtheChinaNationalCertificationandAccreditationAdministration(CNCA);HalalbiscuitsmustbeaccompaniedbyacertificateissuedbyaSwissHalalcertificationorganization(suchasHalalSwitzerland).

V.Expansion of Business with Russia: VTBSafety and Efficiency Advantages of

For customers involved in Russian re-export or cooperating with the Russian side,converting foreign exchange through VTB Bank can significantly reduce risks:

• Thesettlementchannelisstable.:VTBhasestablisheddirectclearingagreementswithIndustrialandCommercialBankofChinaandBankofChinatosupporttheCross-BorderInterbankPaymentSystem(CIPS)andavoidpaymentfailurescausedbySWIFTrestrictions.
• Theexchangerateriskismanageable:ItispossibletolockintheexchangeratebetweentheRMBandtheRussianruble(throughforwardforeignexchangecontracts),whichcanreducetheexchangelossby2-3%comparedwithsettlementinUSdollars;
• Preferentialhandlingfees:VTBchargesaslowas0.15%forforeignexchangesettlementofSino-Russiantradeorders(comparedtothetraditionalUSDchannel,whichtypicallychargesaround0.3%to0.5%).

VI.Risk Control and Case Reference: Professional Responses to Common Problems

Case 1: Delay in customs clearance due to discrepancies in shipping documents

A client’s imported Swiss cookies were returned by the customs because the health certificate did not indicate "peroxide value ≤ 0.25g/100g" (as required by GB 19855-2015).The agent verified the Swiss FSVO official website and confirmed that this indicator is not mandatory.After coordinating with the customs to accept the Swiss standard,the goods were finally released after the agent provided a corrected declaration.

Case 2: Logistics delays result in a decrease in the value of the goods

During the congestion at the Port of Rotterdam in 2022,a client’s Christmas gift box of cookies was stranded in the port for 15 days,putting them at risk of missing the holiday sales period.The agent urgently coordinated with the shipping company to switch to air freight (a sea-air combined transport solution),transporting the remaining goods directly from Hamburg to Shanghai.In the end,only a 15% increase in logistics costs was incurred,successfully avoiding a 50% sales loss.

Conclusion: Professional agents are the "customs clearance key" for Swiss biscuit imports.

The import of Swiss cookies is by no means a simple process of "purchasing goods - transporting - customs clearance",but rather a systematic project involving trade policies,documentary rules,and logistics networks.Choosing a professional agent with 20 years of experience not only helps avoid risks such as "documents failing to meet requirements and being returned","logistics delays and damaged goods",and "certification shortages leading to customs detention",but also enables cost optimization and efficiency improvement through policies such as VTB foreign exchange settlement and tariff preferences under the China-Switzerland Free Trade Agreement (FTA).In the upgraded "quality-oriented consumption" market of China,ensuring that every Swiss cookie arrives at consumers’ hands on time with the freshness of the Alps - this is precisely the value of professional import agents.