Therefore,
Banking secrecy customs taxes: switzerland:
Federal advisers Karin Keller-Sutter. Meanwhile, Guy Parmelin are in Washington to try to renegotiate customs duties. Moreover, Difficult, however, for the Federal Council to oppose the American superpower. Meanwhile, And the situation is not new: when Washington wants something, Bern must often give in.
The most striking example of the last years dates from 2009, the year when Switzerland must give up banking secrecy. Nevertheless, Several G20 countries – United States in mind – put pressure on Bern. In addition, in particular threatening Switzerland to appear on a blacklist.
In a context of financial crisis. Meanwhile, the US tax authority needs to tax hidden wealth in Swiss safes and struggles to find them. Moreover, In particular. she will hire a juricico-fiscal bras with UBS so that the bank provides her with the files of American customers suspected of having defrauded the taxman.
>> See the 19:30 of February 20, 2009:
On March 13, 2009, Switzerland yielded under international and economic pressure. It renounces to distinguish fraud and tax evasion. The federal adviser in charge of finances of the time. Hans-Rudolf Merz, then tries to minimize the situation, ensuring that “banking secrecy will be maintained as it is established in our Federal Constitution and in our laws”.
>> Read also: Announce to the Swiss the end of banking secrecy: “A day … difficult.”
However, we realize today that it is on this date that Swiss banking secrecy dies for foreign customers.
“Our neutral” – Banking secrecy customs taxes: switzerland
The interest that the United States has in Switzerland is above all financial. But it banking secrecy customs taxes: switzerland may have had geopolitical implications. At the start of the Cold War. for example, the United States asked our country not to deliver certain products to the communist countries of Eastern Europe.
Switzerland is not enthusiastic. She invokes her neutrality. but the United States twists his arm by threatening it to be the target of an embargo itself. Result: Bern gave and concluded a secret agreement with Washington in 1951 to limit his exports to the Eastern Bloc.
Switzerland thus approaches the United States during the Cold War. acquiring a double status: neutral and in the camp of Western democracies. According to historian Sacha Zala. director of the Research Center for Swiss Diplomatic Documents (Dedis), Washington was well aware of this, even speaking of “our neutral” in their documents in reference to Switzerland.
Bern was also able to take advantage of this double status. even if, in the end, Washington has always had banking secrecy customs taxes: switzerland the last word, explains Sacha Zala. “Being neutral helped us. during the Cold War, to obtain some exemptions, because we were not formally part of NATO,” he said in the morning of the RTS. “But from the moment when vital interests of the great powers. that is to say from the United States, were affected, they always made it clear that they had the power to make the rules they wanted to pass.”
Special economy
Switzerland is not the only country to be subject to American wishes. Our neighbors are also also affected by the customs taxes of President Trump. However, the smaller the country, the more difficult it is to initiate a balance of power. Furthermore, according to Sacha Zala, economic sanctions affect us strongly, because our economy is special.
“Switzerland is one of the most integrated countries in international trade,” he said. “Switzerland has an economy which is very turned towards banking secrecy customs taxes: switzerland export. so it also makes it low in the face of these kinds of pressures.”
Pressures whose magnitude has been seen in recent weeks and whose consequences will be measured in the coming hours. The president of the Confederation Karin Keller-Sutter will be received by the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at 4:15 p.m. Wednesday in Washington.
>> Follow -up of events: Dating scheduled for Wednesday between Karin Keller-Sutter and the US Secretary of State
Radio subject: Philéas Authier
Web adaptation: Emilie Délétroz
Further reading: India, a new target of Donald Trump customs duties with a 25 % tax promised from August – Ten questions to… Maud Cohen | “Invest in my integrity and my consistency” – Air hostesses and stewards file a complaint against the aeronautical manufacturer – Saudi companies sign electricity purchase agreements for clean energy projects – Beijing hopes for “reciprocity” during commercial talks with Washington in Stockholm – 07/28/2025 at 11:45 am.
