Switzerland

The amendment contains 43 authorization renewals of feed additives, 18 new authorizations and 69 withdrawals of authorizations. In accordance with the agreement between the Swiss Confederation and the European Community on trade of agricultural products, these modifications were intended to bring the authorizations for additives in animal feed in line with those of the European Union.

The regulation on the import of guar gum originating in India is repealed. Since July 2007, in the European Union, high levels of pentachlorophenol (PCP) and dioxins were repeatedly found in batches of guar gum originating in or coming from India. Special provisions or the import of guar gum originating in or coming from India were introduced in the European Union in 2008. In 2010, Switzerland adopted an ordinance on the import of guar gum originating in or coming from India, in line with the EU ordinance. This was done to ensure that only compliant guar gum enters Switzerland and that food safety is therefore guaranteed. Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 of 22 October 2019 on the temporary reinforcement of official controls and on emergency measures on the entry of certain goods from certain third countries into the Union for the implementation of Regulations (EU) 2017/625 and (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/175 was repealed. The new regulation regulates, among other things, the provisions for the import of guar gum from India and reviews them at regular intervals. Based on satisfactory controls, the control of guar gum from India was suspended in the European Union in 2024. As the controls in Switzerland were also satisfactory, there is no longer any justification for continuing these controls. The Ordinance on the import of guar gum originating in or coming from India should therefore be repealed.

The Ordinance on phytosanitary products (RS 916.161, OPPh) was notified in document G/SPS/N/CHE/82 of 19 December 2019. The OPPh establishes conditions for the placing on the market of phytosanitary products. Annex 1 to the OPPh contains a list of active substances that may be used as phytosanitary products in Switzerland. A new substance is included in this Annex if, once the application accompanying the request has been examined, it meets the conditions established in Article 5. On the other hand, a substance will be removed when it is withdrawn in the European Union.The following amendment of the OPPh includes the removal of six chemical substances (Dodemorph, Fenpyrazamin, Flufenacet, Meptydinocap, Metribuzin and Tritosulfuron). They have already been withdrawn (Flufenacet, Metribuzin and Tritosulfuron), or have expired (Dodemorph, Fenpyrazamin and Meptyldinocap) in the European Union and are given the same length in grace periods. The macroorganism “Micromus angulatus” will be added to the Annex. In accordance to EU regulation, the copper-variant “(as Oxide): copper(I) oxide” will be added to the substance “Copper compounds”.These amendments are in alignment with EU decisions and regulations. Details are stipulated in the attached draft document.

The Ordinance on phytosanitary products (RS 916.161, OPPh) was notified in document G/SPS/N/CHE/82 of 19 December 2019. The OPPh establishes conditions for the placing on the market of phytosanitary products. Annex 1 to the OPPh contains a list of active substances that may be used as phytosanitary products in Switzerland. A new substance is included in this Annex if, once the application accompanying the request has been examined, it meets the conditions established in Article 5. On the other hand, a substance will be removed when it is withdrawn in the European Union.The following amendment of the OPPh includes the removal of six chemical substances (Acibenzolar-S-methyl, Asulam, Dimethomorph, Mepanipyrim, Spinetoram, Spirotetramat) as well as one microorganism (Adoxophyes orana granulovirus BV-0001). They have already been withdrawn (Acibenzolar-S-methy, Dimethomorph, Mepanipyrim), have expired without an application for renewal (Adoxophyes orana granulovirus BV-0001, Spinetoram, Spirotetramat) or were not approved (Asulam) in the European Union and are given the same length in grace periods. The microorganisms “Bacillus amyloliquefaciens - strain MBI 600", "Pepino mosaic virus - strain LP, isolate VX1" and “Pepino mosaic virus - strain CH2, isolate VC1” as well as the macroorganism “Chysoperla lucasina” and the basic substance “Chitosan” will be added to the Annex. The substance “Proteins” will be changed to “blood meal” as well as adding the CAS-Nr. and CIPAC-Nr. in accordance to EU regulation. The basic substance “sodium hydrogen carbonate” will be extended with the use in berries. These amendments are in alignment with EU decisions and regulations. Details are stipulated in the attached draft document.

The Ordinance on phytosanitary products (RS 916.161, OPPh) was notified in document G/SPS/N/CHE/82 of 19 December 2019. The OPPh establishes conditions for the placing on the market of phytosanitary products. Annex 1 to the OPPh contains a list of active substances that may be used as phytosanitary products in Switzerland. A new substance is included in this Annex if, once the application accompanying the request has been examined, it meets the conditions established in Article 5. On the other hand, a substance will be removed when it is withdrawn in the European Union.The following amendment of the OPPh includes the removal of five chemical substances: Benthiavalicarb, Clofentezine, Metiram, S-Metolachlor and Triflusulfuron-methyl. All have already been withdrawn in the European Union and are given the same length in grace periods. The macroorganism Trissolcus basalis will be added to the Annex. The IUPAC- name of the substance Bifenazate is corrected; the substance Calcium carbonate is supplemented by the variant Limestone; the active substance Fatty acids C7 to C20 is supplemented by various variants; the substance Octanoic acid is removed as an independent entry, as it is already listed under Fatty acids C7 to C20 as variant: Caprylic acid (octanoic acid); the substance Tribenuron is supplemented by the variant Tribenuron-methyl whereby Tribenuron-methyl is removed from the Annex as an independent entry; and the name of the microorganism Paecilomyces lilacinus is given a new name.These amendments are in alignment with EU decisions and regulations. Details are stipulated in the attached draft document.