Eidg. Alkoholverwaltung EAV

What Eidg. Alkoholverwaltung EAV does

The Eidgenössische Alkoholverwaltung (EAV) was a Swiss federal government agency created in 1887 alongside the country's alcohol policy framework and operated independently under the Federal Act on Distilled Spirits (Alkoholgesetz, AlkG, in force from 1 January 1933) until the end of 2017. Its mandate covered the regulation, fiscal taxation, import/export control, and supervision of spirits, spirit-based wines, brandies, aperitifs, and industrial-grade ethanol; fermented products such as beer, wine, and fruit wines fell outside its remit. At the beginning of 2018 the EAV was integrated into the Bundesamt für Zoll und Grenzsicherheit (BAZG) and ceased to exist as an independent legal entity, with its functions now administered as a division of the federal customs administration.

Under the BAZG umbrella, the EAV's alcohol mandate is delivered alongside a broader customs and border-security platform built around the Passar digital goods-traffic system. Passar, accessible only via a B2B API for software developers, currently handles transit and export procedures (Passar 1.0) with import (Passar 2.0, pilot from Q2 2026) and full digitization of supervised procedures and paper forms (Passar 3.0) planned from 2026. The platform integrates with related systems: the Tares electronic customs tariff database (built on the international Harmonized System), the NCTS for transit procedures, the LSVA/PSVA heavy vehicle charge systems for vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, the legacy e-dec/e-dec web declaration portal (to be retired by 30 September 2027), the Edelmetallkontrolle precious metals testing and hallmarking service, and the official Swiss foreign trade statistics. Distribution combines more than 60 physical locations including major airports and land border crossings (open 24/7 at major sites), web/API self-service channels, and dedicated contact centers for private individuals and cross-border service in five neighboring markets.

The organization generates no commercial revenue and reports no publicly disclosed pricing; it is funded through the Swiss federal budget and levies statutory customs duties, alcohol taxes, and heavy vehicle charges according to legal tariff schedules. Its three primary user segments are the alcohol industry (distilleries, importers, exporters), private individuals and travelers, and commercial enterprises engaged in cross-border trade, precious metals, and heavy goods transport. WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility compliance is partially achieved, with noted gaps in PDF accessibility, image alt text, video subtitling, and sign-language content as last reviewed on 29 April 2025.

Name

Eidg. Alkoholverwaltung EAV

Legal name

Bundesamt für Zoll und Grenzsicherheit BAZG

Website

https://eav.admin.ch

Company type

Public

Founded year

1887

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Eidgenössische Alkoholverwaltung (EAV) was a Swiss federal agency regulating distilled spirits from 1887 until its 2018 integration into BAZG. Its functions are now part of Switzerland's customs and border security platform serving the alcohol industry, travelers, and traders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Customs and Border Security Administration

NAICS

Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (92615)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIADAF

Customs Clearance & Border Trade Facilitation

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Tax, Revenue & Customs Administration

SECONDARYBPAIAOAN

Gambling, Alcohol & Controlled Substances Regulators

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Regulatory Agencies & Licensing (Cross-sector)

Keywords

• Customs administration services
• Alcohol taxation regulation
• Border security operations
• Precious metals control
• Customs declaration systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Delémont

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Eidgen\u00f6ssische Alkoholverwaltung (EAV) was the Swiss federal authority that regulated the production, import, export, transit, sale, and fiscal taxation of distilled spirits (Spirituosen, Lik\u00f6rweine, Br\u00e4nde, Aperitifs, and industrial ethanol) under the Swiss Alcohol Act. Following its 2018 integration into BAZG, these functions are now delivered alongside customs processing, precious metals assaying and hallmarking, heavy vehicle taxation (LSVA/PSVA), and foreign trade statistics through more than 60 service locations and digital platforms (Passar, Tares, e-dec, NCTS).

Product overview

The Eidgenössische Alkoholverwaltung (EAV) was integrated into the Bundesamt für Zoll und Grenzsicherheit (BAZG) in 2018. BAZG operates as a unified platform offering multiple interconnected customs and border security services: the Passar system serves as the new digital customs procedure platform (replacing e-dec), integrated with Tares for tariff classification, NCTS for transit procedures, and LSVA/PSVA for heavy vehicle charges. Additional services include precious metals control (Edelmetallkontrolle) and foreign trade statistics. The architecture follows a core platform (Passar) with related systems for specific customs functions, transitioning from legacy e-dec systems toward full digitalization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Passar (digital goods traffic system)
• Tares (Zolltarif)
• e-dec / e-dec web
• NCTS (Neues Computerisiertes Transitsystem)
• LSVA/PSVA (Performance-based and flat-rate heavy vehicle charge)
• Edelmetallkontrolle (Precious Metals Control)
• Aussenhandelsstatistik (Swiss Foreign Trade Statistics)
• Distilled Spirits Regulation and Alcohol Taxation

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Australian Border Force: Australia's integrated border agency enforcing customs, immigration, and trade compliance. Comparable in operating digital customs platforms and managing both traveler and commercial flows at ports of entry.
• HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC): UK's tax, payments, and customs authority covering VAT, income tax, and import duties. Wider scope than EAV, but comparable in combining customs enforcement with alcohol/excise duty administration.
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP): U.S. federal customs and border security agency with a much larger scale but directly comparable mandate in import/export processing, tariff classification, and border trade facilitation.

Direct peers

• Bundesamt für Zoll und Grenssicherheit (BAZG): The successor entity that absorbed EAV in 2018; operates the same customs, alcohol taxation, precious metals control, and heavy vehicle charge services. Most directly comparable because it is functionally the same organization post-merger.
• Douane française (French Customs): France's national customs authority operating at EU borders and within territory. Comparable in customs clearance, indirect tax collection, and border trade facilitation alongside Swiss neighbors.
• Eidgenössische Steuerverwaltung (FTA / ESTV): Swiss Federal Tax Administration responsible for direct tax, VAT, and federal tax policy — sibling agency within the Swiss federal administration handling overlapping excise and revenue functions for Switzerland.
• Generalzolldirektion (German Customs): Germany's federal customs administration, performing customs clearance, duty collection, and trade enforcement at EU external borders. Comparable mandate to BAZG's customs operations and shares Switzerland's primary land-border trading relationship.

Regional players

• Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF): U.S. federal agency regulating alcohol (and tobacco/firearms) production, distribution, and taxation. Comparable alcohol-regulation mandate but embedded in a vastly larger jurisdiction with a different legal framework.

Others

• European Commission DG TAXUD: Sets EU customs policy, legislation, and the Union Customs Code that frame Swiss customs interoperability. Not a customs operator itself but a policy counterpart shaping BAZG's operating environment.
• World Customs Organization (WCO): Intergovernmental body that develops global customs standards (HS tariff nomenclature, SAFE Framework) underpinning Tares and NCTS implementations. A standards-setting peer rather than a direct operator.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BAZGCH
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCKzVblmxZIFlPfZH_d96bMQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/BAZGCH
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eidg.-alkoholverwaltung-eav
• Instagraminstagram.com/zoll_douane_dogana

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Eidg. Alkoholverwaltung EAV