Simeon Probst
Partner Customs & International Trade, PwC Switzerland
In today’s dynamic and data-driven international trade landscape, Global Trade Management solutions (GTMs) are indispensable for businesses navigating challenges such as geopolitical uncertainty, protectionism, evolving regulations (e.g. ESG), supply chain disruptions and emerging technologies. These GTMs cover various regulatory areas, including electronic customs declarations, Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), sanctions and export controls, and offer a multitude of benefits such as trade compliance, automation, collaboration, data visibility and governance.
Nevertheless, the task of identifying the right GTM solution(s), devising an implementation roadmap and budgeting for the necessary efforts can be challenging.
SAP’s premier trade solution, SAP Global Trade Services (SAP GTS), stands out as one of the market’s leading GTM products, offering extensive functionality and global coverage. Existing SAP GTS users need to switch to SAP GTS Edition for HANA (SAP GTS E4H 2023), ideally before the end of 2025 (coinciding with the end of maintenance for SAP GTS 11). Additionally, they must decide whether to opt for an on-premise or cloud-based implementation of SAP GTS E4H 2023.
Furthermore, the Swiss customs authorities are set to retire their current e-dec customs system, replacing it with Passar. Passar is designed to interface with NCTS Phase 5/6 and will link (reference) transport information to customs declarations. This transition makes it necessary for customers to upgrade to Seeburger BIS 6.7, which is available in both on-premise and cloud-based versions. Passar 1.0 (NCTS 5) already went live at the end of April 2024, while the switch for export declarations is scheduled to be completed by the end of December 2025 and Passar 2.0 (import) by the end of October 2026. It is also important to note that some national customs systems in the EU are also either undergoing or scheduled for changes. See the Notification of Legal Changes for information on SAP’s planning for GTS solutions in this context.
In this evolving trade environment, staying informed and prepared is crucial for businesses engaged in international trade operations.
The numerous constraints and tight deadlines present a challenge for companies and their imperative to maintain the seamless flow of goods across international borders. Based on our interactions with SAP and Swiss customs, it appears unlikely that these deadlines will be extended. It is also important to acknowledge that making critical system migration decisions based solely on speculative extensions involves a significant degree of risk.
With this in mind, PwC and SAP offer the following recommendations to Swiss-based SAP GTS customers:
- Initiate the onboarding process for PASSAR Swiss Customs ePortal - Registration for digital services (Onboarding)
- Strategise and initiate the SAP GTS, Edition for SAP HANA migration project SAP Help Portal, SAP GTS blog, SAP Product Availability Matrix
- Stay well-informed by following Passar news on the Swiss Customs website, PwC’s customs blog and registering with SAP Switzerland’s GTS Community
How to join SAP Switzerland’s GTS Community
- Join by writing an email with your contact data:
- Name
- Company
- Short description outlining scope, priorities and roadmap of your SAP GTS environment
- and mailing it to gts_ch@sap.com. You will receive an invitation email from SAP Build Work Zone.
PwC can support you
In recognition of the considerable pressure this places on executives grappling with these circumstances, and the numerous options and strategies that must be considered in order to make timely and optimal decisions, PwC is committed to easing the associated anxiety. We can provide compact, personalised workshops for our customers who are interested. In these workshops, we will comprehensively present the situation, outline available options along with their respective advantages and disadvantages, and offer recommendations for your path forward.
If you would like to further explore our approach to transitioning to SAP GTS Edition for HANA 2023 and migrating to Passar, please do not hesitate to contact Simeon Probst. We are here to support you in navigating this critical phase.
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Contact us
Simeon L. Probst
Partner, Customs & International Trade, PwC Switzerland
Tel: +41 58 792 53 51
