The Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG) today released ‘Passar News 1/2026’, a comprehensive operational bulletin that formally launches the parallel-run phase of Switzerland’s new digital goods-movement platform, Passar, for imports. Published on 1 July, the notice confirms that companies authorised for the pilot can now submit standard import declarations through Passar and trigger automated border release via the ‘Activ’ mobile app. The move marks a significant step in Switzerland’s multi-year DaziT modernisation programme aimed at replacing the legacy e-dec Import system by the end of 2027. Key take-aways for mobility and trade-compliance teams include an updated emergency procedure that allows a draft Transit Accompanying Document to initiate fallback processing, new coding rules (EXPO, SNOT) governing the linkage between export and transit declarations, and clarification that printed export declarations (WA-A) are no longer required when using automated activation. The bulletin also reiterates that the web-based ‘Certificat’ module can now generate digital EUR.1 movement certificates, reducing paperwork for preferential-origin shipments within the Pan-Euro-Med zone.
![Swiss customs agency issues 1 July ‘Passar News’ bulletin as digital border-clearance pilot widens]()
If the shift to Passar has you juggling additional paperwork alongside employee or contractor travel, VisaHQ’s Switzerland page (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/) can lighten the load. The platform lets organisations and individuals order visas, residence permits and related documents online, and its specialists can advise on complementary customs requirements—helping you keep people and goods moving smoothly while the new system rolls out.
For global companies moving household goods, capital equipment or product samples across Swiss borders, Passar promises faster clearance and 24/7 self-service capability once fully deployed. During the transition, however, only BAZG-approved pilot participants may file live import declarations in the new environment, and unauthorised self-migration is expressly prohibited. Logistics providers therefore need to verify whether their software vendors have secured pilot status and must train drivers on the Activ app’s QR-code activation process at selected crossings. Mobility managers should also note the extended submission windows: export data must now be transferred into a compatible transit declaration within four calendar days—a rule that particularly affects approved consignors using the ‘export-first, transit-later’ workflow common in relocation shipments. Failure to meet the new timeline could lead to Customs interventions and potential storage costs at the border. BAZG will decide later this year when to open the system to a broader user base. Organisations planning 2027 import moves should budget for IT integration, new data fields (Goods Declaration Reference Number), and revised instructions for drivers who previously relied on paper carnets or stamped export copies. The agency’s roadmap confirms that the old e-dec Import portal will be shut down permanently after 30 September 2027, making early familiarisation with Passar critical for uninterrupted cross-border supply chains.
If the shift to Passar has you juggling additional paperwork alongside employee or contractor travel, VisaHQ’s Switzerland page (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/) can lighten the load. The platform lets organisations and individuals order visas, residence permits and related documents online, and its specialists can advise on complementary customs requirements—helping you keep people and goods moving smoothly while the new system rolls out.
For global companies moving household goods, capital equipment or product samples across Swiss borders, Passar promises faster clearance and 24/7 self-service capability once fully deployed. During the transition, however, only BAZG-approved pilot participants may file live import declarations in the new environment, and unauthorised self-migration is expressly prohibited. Logistics providers therefore need to verify whether their software vendors have secured pilot status and must train drivers on the Activ app’s QR-code activation process at selected crossings. Mobility managers should also note the extended submission windows: export data must now be transferred into a compatible transit declaration within four calendar days—a rule that particularly affects approved consignors using the ‘export-first, transit-later’ workflow common in relocation shipments. Failure to meet the new timeline could lead to Customs interventions and potential storage costs at the border. BAZG will decide later this year when to open the system to a broader user base. Organisations planning 2027 import moves should budget for IT integration, new data fields (Goods Declaration Reference Number), and revised instructions for drivers who previously relied on paper carnets or stamped export copies. The agency’s roadmap confirms that the old e-dec Import portal will be shut down permanently after 30 September 2027, making early familiarisation with Passar critical for uninterrupted cross-border supply chains.
