Exporters encountered unexpected delays on 20 October when the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS) reported that supporting documents could be retrieved from the PASSAR and legacy e-dec systems only "partially". The disruption, flagged at 08:25 CEST on industry status pages, affected Chartera-output functions that generate proof-of-exit needed for VAT zero-rating and preferential-origin claims. PASSAR is Switzerland’s multi-year digital-customs overhaul that is replacing e-dec Export in phases. While the core messaging layer continued to accept declarations, the unavailability of confirmation documents meant freight forwarders could not close files or release bank guarantees, leading to queues at inland clearance depots. High-value consignments in the watch and pharmaceutical sectors were reportedly held in transit rooms at Zürich and Basel EuroAirport warehouses pending document retrieval. FOCBS technicians stabilised the system within three hours and moved to a "monitoring" state, but the agency warned that backlogs could persist into 21 October. Logistics software provider Riege Software advised clients to print emergency references or, where possible, defer departures until automated receipts were again available. For corporate mobility teams coordinating household-goods shipments or hand-carry laboratory samples, the incident underscores the importance of contingency planning during Switzerland’s customs-IT transition. Companies are urged to enrol in FOCBS’ system-availability alerts and to confirm that freight partners have manual fallback procedures approved by the canton. The outage will likely add momentum to calls from freight associations for a dual-track support window until PASSAR reaches full maturity in 2027. Businesses reliant on Swiss export channels should expect intermittent slow-downs as modules migrate from pilot to production.
Source: Riege Software Status Page
