Customs duties
Parmelin and Kks are trying to poker with Trump
The President of the Confederation and the Minister of the Economy fly away for Washington in order to prevent customs duties of 39%. A risky trip.
After the failed telephone interview between Donald Trump and Karin Keller-Sutter, the president of the Confederation decided to fly to Guy Parmelin in Washington to try to unlock the customs duties. (Keystone/Jean-Christophe Bott)
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This is the flight of the last chance. Confederation President Karin Keller-Sutter (KKS), and the Minister of the Economy, Guy Parmelin, took the plane on Tuesday for Washington to do everything to prevent 39% customs duties from falling on Swiss exports on Thursday.
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We can qualify this operation as a real poker stroke. Reading the official press release Released by the Federal Council, we understand between the lines that KKS and Guy Parmelin do not have the assurance of meeting the President of the United States, Donald Trump.
It is just mentioned in the communication that this impromptu journey of the two ministers aims to “obtain interviews with the American authorities and to conduct discussions with a view to improving Switzerland’s situation in terms of customs duties”: T already a new danger is looming since Trump now threatens to tax up to 250% the Swiss and Strangers.
Switzerland set foot in the door
Clearly, the president and the Minister of the Economy go there cool, hope to set foot in the door before she closes. But they have no assurance that this poker stroke is walking. The company is risky. It would indeed be a humiliation for Switzerland if the two federal advisers returned their empty hands from the American capital.
But it must be said that the Federal Council had no choice. He had to hit hard after last week’s missed phone between Donald Trump and Karin Keller-Sutter. The interview had resulted in a failure and Switzerland was struck by additional customs duties exorbitant at 39%.
Un Trump inflexible
The case caused a bit of a stir, with severe criticism of the Federal Council in general and the president in particular. The latter was accused to have misunderstood his interview And not having had a plan B faced with an inflexible Trump. There was even talk of “fiasco” for the one who passes for the first of class.
The fact remains that the government quickly recovered. On Monday, he held an online crisis meeting and promised to present “a more attractive offer in the United States”. What is it? Nothing concrete has been filtered for the moment. It is assumed that Switzerland could draw inspiration from the EU tactics by buying American oil and gas as well as weapons.
What if the poker stroke in Washington fails?
The president of the Confederation, KKS, and her vice-president, Guy Parmelin, took two secretaries of state in their luggage: Helene Budliger Artieda, who has played a key role since the start of negotiations, and Daniela Stoffel, head of international financial issues. It is clear, however, that if a release is done, it will not be done in the anti -chaise of Washington but in the oval office of Trump.
What if Swiss poker stroke fails? Well, it will be necessary to go to plan C, as “disaster”. Know how to live a time with arbitrary customs duties and surfaces which can eventually cause the disappearance of several tens of thousands of jobs in Switzerland.
Political reactions
Olivier Feller (PLR/VD) greets this trip. “The Federal Council finally becomes aware of the severity of the situation. It is a good thing that he goes on site with his two most important ministers in this case and a small team. Until then, he had a form of passivity. The failure of the negotiations was communicated Thursday evening. He seems to have done nothing of the weekend, and it only met on videoconference on Monday. Pressure from economic and political circles and the media has certainly had an impact. ” The Vaudois, however, doubts an immediate effect, or even in the medium term.
A doubt that Emmanuel Amoos (PS/VS) also shares. For the deputy, this trip is above all a desperate way of saving face. “I find it difficult to believe that Mme Keller-Sutter and Mr. Parmelin will succeed in changing anything in two days, especially if they do not have an appointment. I can hardly see Mr. Trump, or even his administration, get them at their disposal. ”
And the Valaisan to note that Karin Keller-Sutter and Guy Parmelin have already visited Washington. “They told us have an excellent offer, and it led to customs duties of 39%.” Making curb in front of the American president is not a good solution in his eyes.
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