Switzerland and China's Enhanced Trade Deal: A New Era of Duty-Free Trade

Switzerland and China have finalized a new free trade deal, enhancing Swiss access to China by allowing 99.8% of exports duty-free entry. Announced in Bern, the agreement broadens the 2014 deal, with expanded provisions on services, digital trade, and technical cooperation, boosting their already robust bilateral trade relationship.

Switzerland and China have successfully concluded negotiations on an upgraded free trade deal, Swiss authorities announced on Thursday. The agreement significantly enhances Swiss export access to China, its third-largest trading partner.

The new trade agreement allows 99.8% of Swiss exports to enter China duty-free, expanding on a prior deal where only about half of Swiss shipments were exempt from duties. As for Chinese exports, they largely continue to enjoy duty-free status under the original 2014 agreement, which marked China's first such pact with a continental European economy.

In addition to tariff changes, the updated deal includes stipulations on rules of origin, trade facilitation, services, digital commerce, competition, and economic cooperation. The pact is a testament to the thriving trade relationship between China and Switzerland, with bilateral trade figures reaching 46 billion Swiss francs ($57.6 billion) as of 2026.