Swiss finance minister to meet European counterparts to discuss trade tariffs

Swiss Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter will attend the Ecofin meeting on Friday. Keystone-SDA

Swiss Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter will take part in an informal meeting of the European Union's economics and finance (Ecofin) ministers in Warsaw, Poland, on Friday to discuss trade tariffs and economic growth in Europe.

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This is the first time that Switzerland, which is not a EU member, has been invited to an Ecofin meeting.

Keller Sutter, who also holds the rotating Swiss presidency role, is due to take part in a discussion on the subject of economic growth in Europe in the light of geopolitical developments. She will also hold bilateral talks with some of her counterparts, the Swiss finance ministry said on Monday.

The ministers will discuss the consequences for Europe of the new customs duties imposed by the Trump administration, according to the invitation issued by the Polish presidency of the EU Council.

+ US tariff shock: adding up the Swiss bill

“Trade wars have a negative impact on the economy and the labour market. The EU must respond by removing the remaining trade barriers in its internal market,” Brussels says.

+ Swiss president warns against tariff ‘alarmism’

Discussions on joint arms purchases are also scheduled for the second day of the meeting. The European think-tank Bruegel has drawn up an analysis on this subject, advocating the creation of a new inter-state entity specifically for such purchases.

Keller-Sutter will not take part in the second day of the Ecofin meeting.

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Translated from French by DeepL/sb

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