Switzerland is revamping its national custom services to make it fit for the digital era. The differentiation between border guard and custom specialists will disappear under a new organisational structure.
The government outlined its reform plan on Wednesday for the Federal Customs AdministrationExternal link (FCA), which will become the Federal Customs and Border Security Office, saying it wants to “seize the opportunities offered by digitalisation.”
Another aim is to make its services more flexible and agile. “If for example the migration situation becomes critical, the FCA will be able to better concentrate its forces in the regions concerned,” the government said in a statement.
All customs and border staff will be trained to check goods, people and transport vehicles. They will all wear the same uniform and carry a weapon, according to their task. This will not necessarily be a firearm.
The government decision is part of the DaziT transformation programmeExternal link under which customs, tax and duty collection processes are being simplified and harmonised and fully digitalised.
Parliament approved some CHF400 million ($400 million) for the programme in autumn 2017. DaziT was officially launched on January 1, 2018 and will run until the end of 2026.
More
More
How to simplify Swiss customs with new app
This content was published on
The new “QuickZoll” smartphone app aims to simplify customs clearance for holidaymakers and cross-border shoppers, but it has limitations.
This content was published on
The UN Human Rights Council approved the launch of this mechanism in Geneva on Friday, to be followed by an International Commission of Inquiry.
More than 100 wolves shot in Switzerland last year
This content was published on
Swiss hunters legally killed 101 wolves between February 1, 2024, and the end of January 2025. A further six died in accidents or from natural causes.
Swiss health office turns to Bluesky against backdrop of US censorship
This content was published on
The Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) has joined the Bluesky social network, while US President Donald Trump works with X owner Elon Musk to censor content on official US websites.
Biotech company BioVersys is first Swiss IPO of 2025
This content was published on
The Basel-based biotech company BioVersys made the first initial public offering (IPO) of the year in Switzerland on Friday.
Much more spent on Swiss motorway vote campaigns than budgeted
This content was published on
Opponents and supporters of motorway expansion spent over CHF10 million ($11 million) on their campaigns, around a third more than announced in November.
Swiss researchers monitor animal populations with AI microphone
This content was published on
Researchers in Lausanne are using an intelligent microphone to make the animal world audible. The microphone automatically records animal sounds over large areas and analyses them using AI.
Three employees of Swiss aid organisation killed in DRC
This content was published on
Three employees of the Swiss Protestant Reformed Church (Heks) have been killed in an attack in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). They were on a humanitarian mission in the crisis region.
This content was published on
All our waters today are pure at source," Muriel Lienau, general manager of Nestlé Waters, told AFP after press revelations.
Switzerland concerned about impact of US withdrawal from WHO
This content was published on
Switzerland has expressed concern about the loss of American experts and the freezing of contracts due to the announced withdrawal of the US from the World Health Organization (WHO).
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
More illegal weapons seized at Swiss border
This content was published on
The number of illegal weapons seized by Swiss customs officials doubled in 2018, according to Federal Customs Administration (FCA).
This content was published on
Switzerland and Italy have begun joint border patrols following a deal aimed at combatting illegal immigration between the two neighbouring countries.
This content was published on
Swiss border guards recorded 16,563 cases of illegal migration last year, down from 27,300 cases in 2017 and 48,838 in 2016.
‘Don’t come to Switzerland’ – the anti-tourism campaign
This content was published on
A Swiss-funded television series set in Nigeria paints a very different picture of Switzerland from the usual tourism campaigns.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.