Agreement with Trump
Switzerland is doubled by the EU on customs duties
While Washington and Brussels concluded a 15% agreement this Sunday, Berne, who decided to go alone, still consolidates his brake.
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, and the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, as well as their delegations this Sunday in Scotland.
AFP
- The United States threatens to impose customs duties of 31% on Swiss exports.
- The European Union obtains an agreement limiting this increase to 15%.
- The majority of parliamentarians defend the diplomatic and independent approach to Bern.
- On the contrary, the Greens believe that Switzerland has been on the wrong track by having a rider alone.
Would Switzerland have the wrong strategy? While it seemed to the touching end of an agreement with the United States on customs duties, it is overtaken by the European Union, which has just signed on Sunday An agreement with Trump to limit them to 15%.
However, in this case, the history hurts. When the American president drew his threat April 2Switzerland first discovered, amazed, that it intended to tax its exports more heavily than those of the EU: 31% against 20%. In the process, Bern and Brussels then had radically different approaches. On the EU side, the speech was very quickly to answer eye for a tooth for tooth. Opposite, Switzerland hastened to reject climbing.
For a long time, this approach seemed to have been the right one. In May, the Federal Council even declared to hope be the second countryafter the United Kingdom, to find an agreement. Europeans were still in an economic showdown. Suffice to say that this Sunday had the appearance of a cold shower, when Donald Trump and Ursula von der Leyen announced that he had concluded. Because Switzerland continues to bite its brake. It is indeed August 1 that the 31% cleaner could fall.
“Everyone defends their pre -square”
Would Switzerland have planned a strategy? “Not at all,” replied Michaël Buffat (UDC/VD). That the EU concludes before us is one thing, but the important thing is what is in the agreement; not timing. And for the moment we do not know this will contain our deal with Washington. ”
For him, it would have been wrong to ally with the EU. “What we see is that everyone defends their pre -square. And the specifics of the Swiss export industry are not the same as those of our European neighbors. ”
Sidney Kamerazin (Le Center/VS).
Parliament services
On the center side, Sidney Kamerzin (VS) recalls that Switzerland – which is not part of the EU – did not really have the choice of rider alone and that there is no point in jealous of Brussels. “This agreement is even rather encouraging for us. It shows that there is a room for maneuver to negotiate with the American administration. We can rely on this result. ”
And to emphasize that the United States would have no interest in punishing Switzerland, “while we are long-standing business partners and that we invest a lot in their territory”.
Carlo Sommaruga (PS/GE)
Parliament Service
“I have no moods to see the United Kingdom, Japan or the EU conclude with the United States before us,” comments Carlo Sommaruga (PS/GE), which even finds it quite logical. “These are large exporters to the USA. We have overplayed the role that Karin Keller-Sutter, Guy Parmelin or the Secretary of State for the Economy and their Privileged contacts with the American administration. In the end, we must realize that Switzerland and its 9 million inhabitants, it is peanuts As a market, especially if we exclude pharmas and steel. ”
Wouldn’t Bern should have jointly front with Brussels? “We will know at the end if the strategy was fair or not.” And to bring another element of analysis: the monetary policy of Switzerland. “There are customs duties, but also the strength of the franc. By playing on this variable, the Swiss National Bank can promote or deny our exports. I would not be surprised that the United States expects to see what the BNS will do in the coming weeks before concluding. ”
The Greens are the most severe on the strategy adopted by Bern. “It has been a month since the Federal Council is waiting for a letter from the Trump administration, after it approved a draft declaration of common intention,” reacts the party president, Lisa Mazzone. The fact that the EU passes before demonstrates what we say from the start: together, we are stronger. ”
That said, the Geneva sees the customs duties agreement concluded between Brussels and Washington with a critical eye: “The deal is clearly unbalanced in favor of Trump. And it is done on the back of the climate, with long -term commitments on American fossil fuels which will undermine the objectives of the EU. ”
“Latest news”
Do you want to stay at the top of the info? “24 hours” offers you two meetings a day, not to miss anything of what is happening in your canton, in Switzerland or in the world.
Other newsletters
Did you find an error? Please report it to us.
