When Bureaucracy Empties the Wine Cellar: Why We Support the Petition Against the Planned Import Rules

Some proposals from Bern require a second read — not because they’re complex, but because they’re hard to believe. The current draft by the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER) on the redistribution of wine import quotas is one of them.

What Is Being Planned

Under WTO agreements, Switzerland is permitted to import a certain quantity of wine at a reduced tariff rate. Until now, this quota has been open to all — and has never been fully used. The EAER now wants to change the distribution rules: to benefit from this quota in future, importers would need to simultaneously purchase Swiss grapes and vinify them into wine. Both conditions, cumulatively.

The result: around two thirds of Swiss wine businesses — including many specialised wine merchants who form the backbone of this country’s wine diversity — would be excluded from the system.

What This Means for Your Wine Collection

Our clients are not casual buyers. They collect with purpose: a Barolo that needs another ten years. A Hermitage that will peak in five. An Alsatian Pinot Blanc that pairs perfectly with a dish planned years from now. These wines typically come from small, specialised importers who have spent years building relationships with specific producers.

Precisely these merchants would come under severe pressure — or disappear entirely — under the new system. In their place, large cellars and retailers would be strengthened: those focused on volume and margin rather than discovery and depth.

The consequences for wine collectors are predictable: fewer interesting bottles in the exciting segments, rising prices driven by tradeable certificates as a new cost layer, and a creeping uniformisation of the Swiss wine market.

No Attack on Swiss Winemakers — Quite the Opposite

We want to be clear: this criticism is not directed at Swiss winegrowers. Their situation is difficult, and they deserve genuine support. But this proposal does not offer it. Analyses suggest that large cellars — not the growers themselves — would benefit most. Under market conditions, grape prices would likely fall further, not rise.

Anyone who truly wants to strengthen Swiss viticulture needs better tools than a bureaucratic certificate system that primarily creates tradeable value for large operators.

Our Position

As a company dedicated to protecting and caring for wine collections, we believe that wine diversity is not a luxury. It is what our clients invest their passion, time and money in. That is why we explicitly support the petition against this proposal — and invite you to do the same.

Sign the petition here: No to the newly planned, absurd customs regime for wine imports

The more signatures, the greater the chance of being heard.