FAQ Passar
What exactly is Passar?
“«Passar» is the name of the new goods traffic system by the FOCBS (Federal Office for Customs and Border Security) for the digital processing of customs procedures. Passar will be introduced gradually starting in June 2023. By the end of 2026, all processes related to transit, export, import, special customs clearances, and other duties will be simplified, harmonized, and digitized. This is a main goal of the DaziT digitalization and transformation program.
What does Passar 1.0 include?
Passar 1.0 is the first version (Release 1.0) of the FOCBS’s new goods traffic system. It will initially be introduced for transit and export. Passar implements the new EU declaration format for transit (NCTS Phase 5) and brings comprehensive technological modernization compared to the existing freight systems NCTS and e-dec. The NCTS transmission will take place on March 17, 2024.
Which companies are affected by Passar 1.0?
- Freight forwarding and transport companies
- Authorized Consignees (AC) and Authorized Consignors (AS)
- Swiss Exporters
- Developers and providers of customs clearance software
What specific changes does Passar 1.0 bring?
- The most important change concerns the transport process: goods declarations for transit and export will be linked in Passar with a transport declaration containing information on the means of transport. This linkage enables the automatic activation of goods declarations at the border.
- With Passar 1.0, the self-care principle is introduced, where customers independently record and manage their own data.
- The use of the technical B2B interface (API) is done via digital keys (tokens).
- Required accompanying documents can be submitted directly in Passar.
- Assessment decisions will only be provided electronically and can be retrieved in Chartera Output (automatically via B2B interface or via ePortal).
- The remaining processes currently remain unchanged.
Is the switch to Passar obligatory?
Yes, the existing freight applications NCTS and e-dec will be progressively decommissioned. The introduction of Passar is linked to the Europe-wide transit update (Phase 5). Since March 18, it has no longer been possible to open transit declarations in NCTS, and e-dec Export will be discontinued at the end of 2025.
What are the costs of Passar?
The FOCBS provides the Passar goods traffic system free of charge. Fees may still apply when using commercial customs clearance software.
How do I prepare my company for Passar 1.0?
Passar is the new electronic system for customs clearance by the Federal Customs Administration for data exchange. You may partially receive the eVV from the freight forwarder in the “Passar” format. To receive these eVV exports via your electronic company account using Chartera Output, registration in the ePortal is necessary:
- Log in: Log in to Passar. If you don’t have access yet, you can easily request it. https://www.bazg.admin.ch/bazg/de/home/services/services-firmen/registrierung-firmen/onboarding.html
- Follow instructions [Instructions Onboarding Passar eVV Export]
What does the Passar timeline look like?
The timeline for Passar 1.0 and 2.0 can be seen on the FOCBS homepage.
