What is an open customs warehouse (OZL)?
An open customs warehouse is a warehouse authorised and monitored by the customs administration in which goods from abroad (mainly alcohol and tobacco products) that have not been cleared through customs may be stored.
This means
The goods remain in the warehouse without having to pay customs duties or VAT immediately. Customs clearance only takes place when the goods are actually imported or sold in Switzerland.
As long as the goods remain in the OZL, they are deemed not to have been imported for customs purposes. This solution is particularly economical and flexible because it enables international flows of goods to be efficiently coordinated and goods to be safely stored temporarily. Everything takes place under customs control.
What does this mean for you as a customer?
During the introductory phase, the OZL will be gradually integrated into ongoing operations. In future, it will be an integral part of our service portfolio and will be available to you as a customer.
This will create new opportunities for us to organise our logistics processes more efficiently and offer you even more comprehensive services, particularly in the cross-border movement of goods.
