Attacked by customs duties of 39%, Switzerland is still trying to negotiate with Donald Trump

The Swiss Minister of the Economy, Guy Parmelin, will meet this Friday, September 5, senior administration officials of the United States in the Swiss Confederation of the Swiss Confederation on Friday, September 5 to mitigate the custom task rate of 39% imposed by President Donald Trump.

The Swiss Federal Council indicated that Guy Parmelin went to Washington on Thursday night for discussions scheduled for this Friday at “ministerial level.” The Swiss Economic Ministry has refused to provide more details about planned discussions, including the names of US officials that Guy Parmelin must comply with.

Switzerland has prepared a new package of economic measures aimed at persuading the United States to reduce its customs surcharge, according to a source close to the file. These include proposals to encourage companies to invest more in the United States, as well as increase the purchases of the country in terms of defense and extend access to the Swiss market of American energy products, according to two other sources close to the archive.

Threat to the pharmaceutical industry

While Switzerland seeks lower customs tasks, currently 39% in most of its products exported to the United States, the country also wants to
New surcharge in the pharmaceutical sector, added the sources. At the moment, the pharmaceutical sector is not subject to US customs duties, but the threat still floats. Pharmaceutical products represent a key element in the Swiss economy, with almost half of the 65 billion Swiss francs (69.2 billion euros) of Switzerland exports to the United States in 2024.

Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter, and the Minister of the Economy had already made a trip to Washington last month to try to avoid the application of US customs tasks inflicted in Switzerland, whose rates are among the highest of all those determined by Donald Trump. The general director of UBS, Sergio Emotti, said Friday that customs of the United States does not exert pressure on economic growth and contribute to an increase in inflation.