Swiss Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter (left) and Economics Minister Guy Parmelin in Washington on Wednesday.
Keystone-SDA
Continuing talks, supporting affected industries and easing the burden on companies: this is the strategy the Swiss government is pursuing in the tariff dispute with the US. The executive will continue to refrain from taking countermeasures, it said on Thursday.
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The tariffs of 39% imposed by the US are “extremely difficult” for the companies affected, Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter, who also holds the Swiss rotating presidency, told the media in Bern on Thursday. The seven-member governing Federal Council had previously gathered for an extraordinary meeting.
US President Donald Trump had “extremely increased” pressure with the high additional tariffs for Switzerland, Keller-Sutter said. However, diplomatic efforts would continue. Talks are currently underway “on the basis of a new offer”, she said. Keller-Sutter did not comment on the content of this offer for the time being.
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What do 39% US tariffs mean for the Swiss economy?
“We have been working intensively on a solution for months,” she said. Swiss negotiators are in Washington in a bid to make progress.
Parallel to the negotiations, the federal government is examining “possible relief for companies”, as it wrote in a press release. For example, the government is favourably disposed towards an extension of short-time working compensation from 18 to 24 months, as requested by two responsible parliamentary committees.
Translated from German by DeepL/jdp
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