Decide which procedure applies to you or with which procedure you would like to transit the goods:
1. International transit procedures are used for the cross-border movement of goods (e.g. transit through Switzerland). Essentially, there are two transit procedures. You will find all of the information on how to proceed below:
- the common transit procedure (CTP). This transit procedure is conducted electronically.
- the TIR transit procedure. This is a purely paper-based solution (more time-consuming and in practice only used in countries that are not yet connected to the CTP).
Examples (for both transit procedures): merchandise transported from Paris through Switzerland to Vienna, or merchandise transported from the border to an authorised consignee in Switzerland and definitively cleared through customs there.
2. In the case of national goods traffic, the national transit procedure (NTP) is used for transporting goods that are uncleared or declared for exportation within the customs territory. For example, the goods arrive in Switzerland from Germany and are cleared through customs at the domicile of an authorised consignee. The national transit procedure is used for the transport from the border to the place of domicile.
3. Special procedures: ATA Carnet
The ATA Carnet is mainly used for temporary importation and exportation. However, it also allows for a transit procedure. This requires you to request additional transit sections for the ATA Carnet from the competent chamber of commerce (according to your company's domicile). Frequent examples of use:
- a tradesman from Germany travelling through Switzerland with his tools to perform work in Italy
- a vehicle manufacturer from Italy transporting an exhibition vehicle to the Palexpo customs office in Geneva for the Geneva Motor Show; thanks to the ATA Carnet with additional transit sections, the vehicle can transit from the border to the Palexpo customs office.