Key facts
State control of precious metals in Switzerland is conducted at two levels. The Federal Customs Administration (FCA) offices are responsible for border controls. A specialised unit of the FCA, Precious Metals Control (PMC), checks the quality of gold, silver, platinum and palladium articles for industrial purposes. It is decentrally organised into the Central Office and Precious Metals Control Offices. With a budget of CHF 10 million, the Precious Metals Control guarantees (hallmarks) more than 2 million articles each year.