Swiss president and economy minister traveling to U.S. for tariff discussions
In the ongoing trade dispute, Switzerland and the United States are engaged in talks to address the current tariff situation for Swiss exports. The Swiss finance minister and vice president, along with the heads of the economy and international finance departments, will lead a delegation to Washington for these negotiations [1][2].
The talks come after the US imposed a 39% tariff on Swiss exports on August 7, 2025, despite last-minute Swiss diplomatic efforts to avert this [2][3]. The Swiss government had previously unilaterally eliminated tariffs on nearly all US imports, but this gesture of goodwill was not reciprocated [1][3].
The Swiss government has been keen to present a more attractive offer to the US, with aims to lower the level of reciprocal tariffs for Swiss exports [1]. However, initial proposals to reduce the tariff to 10% and offer $150 billion in investments were rejected by US officials [1].
The US justifies the high tariff citing Switzerland’s trade surplus with the US and classifies it as a national security issue, asserting the 39% rate was decided based on multiple economic factors, including Switzerland’s wealth and trade deficit with the US [3].
The European Union, on the other hand, has struck a deal with the US, facing tariffs of 15 percent, down from a previous threat of 30 percent [4]. This development may put pressure on Switzerland to reach a resolution in its own negotiations.
Swiss authorities have remained discreet about ongoing talks and the negotiation timeline, offering limited public information on dialogue with the US administration after tariffs were implemented [5]. The Swiss Federal Council has not ruled out retaliatory or relief measures for export sectors affected by the tariffs [1][3].
As of early August 2025, no tariff reduction deal has been reached yet, and the tariff remains at 39% for Swiss imports [2][3]. The Swiss government will issue a further statement regarding any relevant developments [3]. The talks are scheduled to take place at short notice [1][2].
These negotiations, scheduled at short notice, aim to mitigate the 39% tariff imposed on Swiss exports by the US [1][2]. The Swiss government's efforts to lower the level of reciprocal tariffs [1] are facing challenges as initial proposals have been rejected [1].
The ongoing trade dispute between Switzerland and the US has sparked discussions in both the business [1] and political [3] spheres, aligning with general-news headlines as the Swiss government weighs possible retaliatory or relief measures [1][3].
