If you want to send art abroad, you should familiarize yourself with the legal requirements and logistical challenges at an early stage, whether you are an artist, gallery or collector. Shipping artworks internationally may seem complicated at first glance, but with the right preparation and the necessary information, the process can run smoothly.

In this article, we explain which documents you need, how shipping to and from Switzerland works and which points are important in order to transport your art safely and with all the necessary legal regulations.

 

Transportation to Switzerland or from Switzerland to abroad

There are special regulations for importing goods into Switzerland compared to importing into the EU or other countries (you can find out everything about transportation within the EU here). There is no Union Customs Code here, as Switzerland is not part of a EU customs union. Instead, Swiss customs law applies. Its provisions apply in conjunction with the free trade agreements concluded by Switzerland.

When shipping a work of art from Switzerland to the EU, there are specific requirements, particularly in connection with customs clearance. If a work of art is sold to a company in the EU, the importer’s EORI number (Economic Operators Registration and Identification) is mandatory. This number is necessary for:

1. customs declaration: The EORI number identifies the importer to the customs authorities in the EU.
2. tax processing: It is required for the payment of import VAT and, if applicable, customs duties.

Companies that engage in cross-border trade usually have such an EORI number.

Without a valid EORI number, the goods cannot be cleared at the border and there will be delays or even returns.

The goods declaration: the basis for your art transportation in Switzerland 

The goods declaration is a central component of the customs process. It describes the exact description and declaration of goods that are to be exported or imported. The characteristics and purpose of the goods are specified in detail to enable the customs authorities to classify them correctly.

Part of the customs declaration is also the customs tariff number, also known as the HS code (Harmonized System). This is an international goods number with which goods are clearly classified. The HS code facilitates the calculation of customs duties and taxes as well as compliance with import regulations. Each product can only be assigned to one customs tariff number. The harmonized system therefore comprises a total of 21 sections with 99 chapters and over 5000 subheadings.

The customs tariff number also determines the amount of import duties and, if applicable, VAT on imports.
In addition to the customs tariff number, customs also want to know the exact description of the goods, including all relevant information.

Our system needs a few precise details in order to create the correct HS code for customs clearance. You simply enter these in the Moviiu order screen when you book your shipment with us. This includes the year of origin of the artwork (older or younger than 100 years), the country of origin, material, net weight and the category it falls into. Our categories are:

• Painting / Painting / Drawing
• Sculpture / Plastic
• Decorative object / small furniture
• Clocks / Watches
• Jewelry
• Books
• Photography / Picture
• Etching / Lithography / Print
• Antiques
• Others

To facilitate export and import, our system also creates a pro forma invoice based on the information provided.

The contents of the pro forma invoice include

• Consignor and consignee details
• Description of the artwork (title, artist, material, dimensions, etc.)
• Estimated value of the artwork
• HS code

If you book the shipment via Moviiu, you do not need to worry about creating the pro forma invoice. Our system generates it automatically with all the necessary information about your artwork and the shipment. This ensures that all customs requirements are met and saves you time when preparing your shipment.

Import duties and import taxes:

As Switzerland is not part of the EU customs union, taxes and customs duties are payable on imports into EU countries. These, as well as the import duties when importing goods and works of art from the EU to Switzerland, are invoiced directly to the recipient by our transport partners UPS, Fedex and DHL. They are based on the taxes and customs duties of the respective country.

Export certificate

If you require an export certificate, we can apply for the document from Swiss customs and then send it to you for your shipment.

Customer service: At Moviiu we help you with all your questions

If things do get more complex, our in-house customs experts will help you with all your questions and other transport-related queries. We take care of everything to make your transportation smooth, so that your shipment arrives worry-free, and prepare every shipment in the best possible way. We also have sister companies in Canada, Brazil, Australia, South Korea, China and Singapore, which we can consult when importing into the respective countries.