Car, beer, pizza Strange customs regulations at the German-Swiss border

The border between Germany and Switzerland has some surprising customs regulations. Even everyday items such as a pizza can cause problems.

The border between Germany and Switzerland may often seem invisible in everyday life, but it has some surprising regulations. As Switzerland is not part of the EU, it can issue its own customs regulations, which are sometimes unexpected, as the "Südkurier " writes. One example of this is the use of a car across the border.

If you live in Germany and drive the car of a friend or relative from Switzerland, you can quickly get into trouble. A vehicle registered in Switzerland is regarded as uncleared goods when entering the country and may not simply be driven by someone resident in Germany.

The only exception is if the owner from Switzerland is in the car himself or is in the EU at the same time. Otherwise there is a risk of high costs: ten percent customs duty on the value of the vehicle plus 19 percent import sales tax. The same applies in reverse for Swiss citizens who wish to import a German car.

Violations are expensiveHardly anyone is aware of these regulations at the Swiss border

For people living close to the border, special exemption regulations apply. If you drive from Constance to Kreuzlingen and buy beer there, you are not allowed to take it home duty-free.

Border residents are entitled to an allowance of 90 euros, but none for alcohol. Only further inland or at another border crossing do the usual maximum quantities apply: 16 liters of beer, four liters of wine and one liter of spirits.

Customs regard horses as goods

Even a ride across the border is not as easy as it seems. A horse is considered a commodity by customs and must be declared. Rider Judith Wiedenbach explains in the "Südkurier" that a "customs declaration for temporary admission" is required for every ride.

The horse must be presented at Swiss customs, where its value is estimated and a deposit of 2.5 percent Swiss VAT is charged. An additional CHF 120 customs duty will be charged, which will be refunded on return.

The refund of German VAT is common for Swiss shopping tourists, but there are pitfalls. If a croissant is consumed before customs, it can be expensive, as all goods on the receipt must be presented unused. One eaten croissant can therefore result in a fine of 20 to 55 euros.

Billions flow outShopping tourism is becoming a necessity for many Swiss people

A few years ago, it was still common for German delivery services to deliver pizza and other dishes to Swiss customers. But Switzerland put a stop to this, as food is also considered goods and has to be cleared through customs. However, the customs offices were not normally staffed in the evenings.

Cannabis is a particularly sensitive issue at the border. While up to ten grams can be imported with impunity in Switzerland, this is prohibited under German law. Anyone who crosses the border with cannabis risks criminal charges. Cannabis may only be consumed within your own country's borders, and even a short trip across the border can have legal consequences.

This article was written with the help of an AI