Bilateral agreements

Bilateral Road Transport Agreements with European States

Bilateral road transport agreements are agreements between Switzerland and a European state on transport rights for the carriage of passengers and/or goods between these two states. They are basically Swiss agreements, with Liechtenstein usually included.

For countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland is responsible for Liechtenstein in the transport sector. In principle, the Federal Office of Transport strives to reach mutual agreements with all European countries. The inclusion of Liechtenstein is in most cases expressed with a separate article in the agreement.

Within the EEA and Switzerland, the euro license is considered an access document. Agreements in this area therefore have no application. This is the responsibility of the Office of National Economy.

Austria:
Liechtenstein has its own freight transport agreement on third-country traffic between Central and Eastern European countries and Austria. It is a quota-based permit system. (Merkblatt: Third-Country Traffic Austria)

The inclusion of Liechtenstein in Swiss transport agreements

Before negotiating a new transport agreement, Liechtenstein is asked by Switzerland whether there is an interest in participating in the agreement. In most cases, Liechtenstein's inclusion is expressed with a separate article in the agreement. Occasionally, there are also exchanges of notes, exchanges of letters, or the minutes of a joint commission for older agreements. A positive decision by the Liechtenstein Government and the Swiss Federal Council is required for the agreement to enter into force. The inclusion of Liechtenstein in these agreements is valid as long as the customs treaty with Switzerland is in force.

Information on existing Swiss transport agreements in which Liechtenstein is included can be obtained by Liechtenstein transport companies from the Federal Office of Transport, Bern (www.admin.ch or tel. +41 / 31 / 322 57 11).

Application for permits from quota-based permit systems:

If a Swiss agreement exists in which Liechtenstein is included and a quota system is provided for, Liechtenstein transport companies can apply for corresponding permits from the Swiss Federal Office of Transport.

Federal Office of Transport
CH- 3003 Bern
Tel. +41 / 31 / 322 57 11
Fax: +41 / 31 / 322 58 11

Third country permits for Austria are to be applied for at the Office of National Economy.