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Donald Trump is of the opinion that Switzerland “steals” 40 billion francs in the United States each year due to the trade deficit, Karin Keller-Sutter said on Friday. The Federal Council rejects this “absurd” position and wishes to relaunch negotiations.
The 39% customs duties inflicted on Switzerland are “a surprise” and a “disappointment”, because the amount negotiated with members of the US government was much lower, said the president of the Confederation, interviewed by journalists on the sidelines of the National Day on the Plaine du Grütli, on the edge of Lake Quatre Cantons.
She stressed that this negotiated level, which she did not wish to reveal, had been accepted by the representatives of the Ministries of Commerce and Finance.
The Federal Council refutes the analysis of the White House owner. Taking into account the services, the trade balance between the two countries is indeed balanced, argued the Minister of Finance.
She noted that so far, President Trump was not only focused on the trade balance, but also on the creation of jobs in the United States. The fact that only this argument counts is “new”, according to Ms. Keller-Sutter.
Switzerland will start again to negotiate with the United States, has still underlined the Saint-Galloise. She admitted that the American decision was harmful to the Swiss economy. Commenting on requests from the Economy circles, she pointed out that “her door was still open” to discuss means to reduce bureaucracy or to improve framework conditions.
