Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter and the Minister of the Economy Guy Parmelin will fly to Washington on Tuesday, the government announced, in order to avoid the application of customs duties of 39% announced by President Donald Trump on exports to the United States.
The duo’s mission will be to “facilitate meetings with the American authorities within a very short time and to conduct discussions in order to improve the tariff situation for Switzerland”, specifies the official press release.
The government did not specify which branches of the US administration would be met in Washington, or if a meeting with President Trump was planned.
The Swiss executive said on Monday that it was ready to formulate a “more attractive offer” in the United States in order to avoid the establishment of these 39%customs rights, which must enter into force on August 7 and risk bringing a severe blow to the Swiss economy.
The Federal Council, an executive body of the country, met urgently and said it was willing to continue negotiations beyond the deadline of August 7.
No clarification has been given as to the additional incentive measures which could be proposed to obtain a more favorable agreement, but the government said that no retaliatory measure against the United States was envisaged.
The objective of moving Keller-Sutter and Parmelin is to present “a more attractive offer in the United States in order to reduce the level of reciprocal customs duties on Swiss exports, while taking into account American concerns,” concluded the government.
