Customs, Trade & Export Control

Key to our effective and efficient flow of goods

All transactions, regardless if they are crossing borders or transferred within the same country, may be subject to national and international customs, trade and/or export control regulations.

Roche is committed to complying with all customs, trade and export control regulations, taking into consideration potential conflicting regulations among the countries in which we operate. The failure to do so can result in civil and criminal liability and loss of export privileges.

Customs and Trade

Roche operates around the globe and processes daily imports, exports and transits of a variety of goods. As goods shall timely pass customs clearance, all shipments of goods have to be prepared by a logistics department, following expert guidance to ensure adherence to national and international regulations.

Customs law is applicable regardless of quantity, type of material or mode of transportation. The customs authorities not only review adherence to customs law but perform other tasks at the border for local authorities in charge of e.g. veterinary, agricultural, medicinal, regulatory, fiscal and intellectual property regulations. This also applies to goods provided free of charge.

Export Control

All Roche employees engaged in foreign trade activities must refrain from transactions recognised as not being permissible by the national or international export control regulations or the internal directive known as the Roche Standard Export Control.

Before engaging with new business partners, employees must ensure that there is no respective entry on any national or international sanctioned party lists. Before processing an export of commercial or non-commercial commodities, software or technology, physically or electronically, within or outside Roche, employees must ensure that the item is not controlled and does not require an export/re-export licence from the authorities. Some destinations are subject to comprehensive foreign trade controls, also known as embargo or sanctions, and require additional control prior to proceeding.

We are all expected to:
  • Communicate truthful and complete information in a timely manner.
  • Check for compliance with national and international customs, trade and export control regulations when developing and adapting processes.
  • Contact the subject matter expert department timely.
Questions & Answers

I am preparing the documents of a cross-border shipment. What do I have to be aware of?

Every employee asking for the shipment of goods is accountable for providing complete and truthful information for export or import processing. Be aware that there are restrictions and prohibitions on certain kinds of shipments to certain locations. Contact your local Export Control Officer for further details.

I want to export some US IT equipment to a Roche colleague abroad. Do I really need to check customs, trade and export regulations as this is going to stay within Roche?

Yes. You should seek guidance from your local logistics department and your local Export Control Officer before processing any shipment.

If I notice a potential violation, what are my obligations?

Contact the related expert department in a timely manner in case of questions or to address a potential violations.

Further Informations

Further information and guidance can be found on the Roche Internet and Intranet. For specific information consult the Roche Standard Export Control Policy.

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