Because of the small size of Switzerland, you can go very quickly from one place to another, making exchange easier between the different airports and free ports: about ten areas authorize long period storage without payment of customs duties. The items can be unpacked, presented, photographed, sold, imported into Switzerland (upon payment of duties and VAT) or sent on to other countries. The Geneva Free Port covers an area of approximately 150,000 m2 .

No specific customs formalities (licences, permits) are necessary to import or export fine arts from the Swiss territory, except for goods subject to CITES regulations (ivory, animal skins, etc.). For importation just present the invoice relating to the sale of the item and customs will charge VAT and, if necessary customs duties. For exportation only the presentation of the invoice is required and customs formalities are made rapidly.

Open dialogue
Fine art exchanges (sales, exhibitions, transports) are performed in a climate of discretion, with efficiency and expertise. Collectors play an important role and dialogue between private collectors and institutions is open and often interactive.

There are almost 200 Museums in Switzerland. Museums such as the Musées d'art et d'histoire of Geneva, the Kunstmuseum of Basel, Berne and Winterthur, the Kunsthaus of Zurich, the Musée cantonal des beaux-arts of Lausanne and the Musée Jenisch of Vevey are public institutions enjoying patronage since their creation. There are also many Private Museums, such as the Musée du Petit Palais, the Musée Barbier-Mueller in Geneva, the Foundation Pierre Gianadda in Martigny, the Fondation de l'Hermitage in Lausanne as well as important auction companies (Christie's, Sotheby's, etc.) and Fine Art Galleries of world renown.

Prominent market
The organization and realization of a prestigious exhibition like "Cléopâtre dans le miroir de l'art occidental" (presented at the Musées d'art et d'histoire of Geneva in 2004) and handled by Harsch Transports, require strong competence on the logistics level as well as packing and delivery of items. The international network of specialized transporters in Fine Arts, ICEFAT, guarantees transportation of the highest quality worldwide.

Switzerland is a prominent market in the world of arts, thanks to the competence, efficiency, discretion, know-how and small size that distinguish it.

Facts
The origin of Switzerland dates from 1291, year of the first union of the cantons of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden, around which other cantons united over the years until 1814, to create the "Confédération Suisse" as we know it. Today, Switzerland is comprised of 20 cantons and 6 half cantons covering an area of 41,285 km2. 67% of Switzerland is covered with forests and farmland and 25% by lakes and rivers. Housing and infrastructures represent only 7% of the surface. Over the whole Swiss territory you can find over 5,000 km of railways and over 71,000 km of roads.

The average population density is 176 inhabitants per km2 and there are nearly 320,000 national companies (in 2001), 70% are active in the tertiary (service) sector. Most of these have branches in the main cities of Geneva, Zurich and Basel. The distances between these cities are: Geneva - Basel: 260 km; Geneva - Zurich: 288 km and Zurich - Basel: 108 km.

By Patrizia Roncadi, Henri Harsch HH SA