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Selling electrical and electronic products in Switzerland

In Switzerland, electrical safety follows the Low Voltage Ordinance (NEV), enforced by the Federal Inspectorate for Heavy Current Installations (ESTI). Electromagnetic compatibility and radio equipment are OFCOM's, under the EMCO and the TIO. Hazardous-substance limits and battery rules sit in the Chemical Risk Reduction Ordinance, from the FOEN. Each asks for a declaration of conformity, kept ten years.

Updated · Each section links to the official source it comes from

Electrical safety
Low Voltage Ordinance (NEV); ESTI
EMC and radio
EMCO and TIO; OFCOM
Hazardous substances
ORRChem Annex 2.18 (RoHS); cantonal authorities
Batteries
ORRChem Annex 2.15: limits, marking, take-back, disposal fee
CE marking
Not required under the NEV; may be left on
Documents
Declaration of conformity, kept 10 years

Before a product goes on sale

The questions to answer, in the order they usually come up.

  1. 1Is the product low-voltage equipment, radio equipment, or both? Read more
  2. 2Is there a declaration of conformity and technical documentation, kept ten years? Read more
  3. 3Does it meet the EMC requirements, and if it transmits, the radio rules? Read more
  4. 4Does it carry identification, the manufacturer's and importer's details and the required marking? Read more
  5. 5Does it stay within the RoHS limits for lead, mercury, cadmium and the other listed substances? Read more
  6. 6Does it contain batteries, and are they marked, collected and paid for? Read more

The rules, by area

What each area covers, the texts that set it, and what the official pages say.

Low-voltage safety

Electrical safety under the NEV.

  • The NEV covers electrical equipment rated at 50 to 1000 V AC or 75 to 1500 V DC, as under the EU Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU, and some equipment below those voltages (Article 1).
  • Economic operators' duties follow Articles 6 to 9 and Annexes I and III of the Directive; the ESTI is the competent authority, and the CE marking duty does not apply, though it may be left on (Article 4).
  • The product carries a type, batch or serial number and the name and contact address of the manufacturer and any importer; if neither a Swiss establishment, an authorised representative nor an importer exists, the fulfilment service provider's details are added (Article 6).
  • Operators can produce a declaration of conformity for ten years, and keep technical documentation in an official language or English (Articles 8, 9 and 12).
  • Instructions and safety information are supplied in at least the official language or languages of the place of sale (Article 11).

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the declaration of conformity, test reports and technical documentation with each product, dated, and shows what is missing. Ask about this

EMC and radio equipment

What OFCOM checks.

  • Apparatus is assessed for electromagnetic compatibility by internal production control or type examination; the declaration of conformity is in an official language or English, and kept ten years (EMCO Articles 9, 11 and 12).
  • Radio equipment that can be charged by cable and is widely available must be chargeable by USB-C, in categories OFCOM defines (TIO Article 7).
  • Radio equipment carries the Swiss or foreign conformity marking, a type, batch or serial number and the manufacturer's name and postal address (TIO Article 18).
  • Radio transmitters come with their frequency bands, maximum power and any operating restrictions, and the information is in the official language at the point of sale (TIO Article 19).
  • OFCOM checks equipment on the market by sample tests, and may ask the FOCBS for import information (TIO Article 36; EMCO Article 24).

How we help: Compliant Always reads your declarations and labels against these particulars and shows what is missing for each model. Ask about this

Hazardous substances (RoHS)

Substance limits in electrical and electronic equipment.

  • Electrical and electronic equipment may not exceed 0.1% lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, PBB, PBDE, DEHP, BBP, DBP and DIBP, or 0.01% cadmium, by mass, subject to listed exemptions (ORRChem Annex 2.18).
  • The manufacturer draws up technical documentation and a declaration of conformity and keeps them ten years (ORRChem Annex 2.18).
  • The importer gives its name and contact address on the equipment, packaging or accompanying document, keeps a copy of the EU declaration of conformity for ten years, and keeps a register of non-conforming equipment and recalls (ORRChem Annex 2.18).
  • Traders act with due care; non-conformity is reported to the competent cantonal authority (ORRChem Annex 2.18).
  • SECO points to the FOEN's restrictions on hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment.

How we help: Compliant Always reads your suppliers' material declarations and test reports against these limits and shows any part without one on file. Ask about this

Batteries

Limits, marking, take-back and the disposal fee.

  • Batteries may not contain more than 5 mg of mercury per kilogram, and portable batteries more than 20 mg of cadmium per kilogram, with listed exceptions (ORRChem Annex 2.15).
  • Batteries are marked for separate collection, and those above set mercury, cadmium or lead levels carry the symbol Hg, Cd or Pb; portable rechargeable batteries show their capacity (ORRChem Annex 2.15).
  • Traders that supply portable batteries take them back from consumers, and manufacturers take them back free of charge (ORRChem Annex 2.15).
  • A prepaid disposal fee is paid on batteries placed on the market to an organisation appointed by the FOEN (ORRChem Annex 2.15).

How we help: Compliant Always keeps battery specifications, marking artwork and disposal-fee records with each product. Ask about this

Operators and corrective action

Who counts as manufacturer, and what happens when a product does not conform.

  • An importer or distributor that sells under its own name or brand, or modifies a product, counts as the manufacturer (NEV Article 4).
  • Manufacturers and importers that have reason to believe a product does not conform take corrective measures, withdrawing or recalling it where needed, and notify the authority of any risk (EMCO Article 18).
  • Under the Product Safety Act, a business that finds its product endangers safety or health informs the enforcement authority at once, with details of the product, the risk, its supply chain and the measures taken (PrSG Article 8).
  • The ESTI checks low-voltage products on the market by sampling and may ask the FOCBS to report imports (NEV Article 23).

How we help: Compliant Always keeps supplier and customer records with each product, so a corrective-action question can be answered from the record. Ask about this

Who answers for what

WhoWhat they answer forHow we help
ManufacturerConformity assessment, technical documentation and the declaration of conformity under each ordinance.Declarations, test reports and technical files kept with each model.
ImporterIts name and address on the product, and copies of declarations kept ten years.Suppliers' documents read and dated before the goods arrive.
DistributorDue care before sale, and counts as manufacturer if it sells under its own name.Questionnaires answered from the product record.
Fulfilment service providerThe NEV duties where there is no Swiss establishment, authorised representative or importer.The documents it must produce kept in one place, dated.

Who enforces

Enforcement is split by subject: the ESTI for low-voltage safety, OFCOM for EMC and radio equipment, and the competent cantonal authorities for the RoHS limits in the Chemical Risk Reduction Ordinance.

Instructions and safety information are in the official language or languages of the place of sale, which differ between parts of the country (NEV Article 11; TIO Article 19).

Questions businesses ask

Which law covers electrical products in Switzerland?
The Low Voltage Ordinance (NEV) for electrical safety, the EMCO for electromagnetic compatibility, the TIO for radio equipment, and the Chemical Risk Reduction Ordinance for substance limits and batteries.
Who enforces electrical safety?
The Federal Inspectorate for Heavy Current Installations (ESTI), as the competent authority under the NEV (Article 4).
Who enforces radio and EMC rules?
The Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM), by sample tests and inspections (TIO Article 36; EMCO Article 24).
Is CE marking required in Switzerland?
Not under the NEV, though a CE marking applied under EU rules may be left on (Article 4). Radio equipment carries the Swiss or a foreign conformity marking (TIO Article 18).
Which language must instructions be in?
At least the official language or languages of the place where the product is sold (NEV Article 11; TIO Article 19).
How long are declarations of conformity kept?
Ten years from placing on the market, under the NEV, EMCO, TIO and the RoHS annex (NEV Article 9; EMCO Article 12; TIO Article 16).
Does Switzerland require USB-C charging?
Yes, for radio equipment that can be charged by cable and is widely available, in categories OFCOM defines (TIO Article 7).
What are the RoHS limits in Switzerland?
0.1% by mass for lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, PBB, PBDE and four phthalates, and 0.01% for cadmium, subject to exemptions (ORRChem Annex 2.18).
Who takes back batteries?
Traders supplying portable batteries take them back from consumers, and manufacturers take them back free of charge. A prepaid disposal fee is paid on batteries placed on the market (ORRChem Annex 2.15).
What if there is no Swiss importer?
Under the NEV, if the manufacturer has no Swiss establishment or authorised representative and there is no importer, the fulfilment service provider's details go on the product and it holds the documents (Articles 6, 8 and 12).
How does Compliant Always help with selling in Switzerland?
Our team reads the rules for the markets you sell in. Compliant Always shows which apply to your product, keeps the documents behind each one ready, and watches the sources for changes. It shows what the requirements say and what your documents show; you decide.

Sources

Compliant Always is a product of Lettuce Labs LLC. It shows what requirements say and what your documents show. It is not legal advice, and you decide.

Tell us what you make, and we will show you the rules for it.

Name the product and the markets you sell in. We will come back to you with what applies in Switzerland and what your paperwork needs to show.

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