Switzerland reportedly close to finalising US customs deal
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Switzerland reportedly close to finalising US customs deal
Switzerland is reportedly close to a deal in the customs dispute with the United States. The Bloomberg news agency reported on Monday that an agreement was emerging in the negotiations between the two countries. This could be reached in the next two weeks, it said.
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The agreement includes a reduction of the current US tariff on imports of numerous Swiss goods to 15%, the US business news agency Bloomberg wrote, citing sources familiar with the matter. Since the beginning of August, Switzerland has been subject to a US punitive tariff of 39%. However, the EU has been hit with only a 15% tariff.
The Swiss economics ministry has remained silent. Spokesperson Markus Spörndli told the Swiss News Agency Keystone-SDA on Monday that Bloomberg had “of course not confirmed” this. Negotiations are ongoing and no comment will be made in the meantime, he said.
+ Tariffs: Swiss minister talks with US trade representative
As can be seen in the video of a media conference held at the White House on Monday, US President Donald Trump said in response to a journalist’s question on the subject of tariffs and Switzerland: “We are working on a deal to lower their tariffs a little bit.” When asked, however, he did not want to give a specific figure. “We’re working on something to help Switzerland,” Trump continued.
He said the tariffs had hit Switzerland “very hard”, but he wanted “Switzerland to remain successful”. Trump also emphasised that Switzerland had been a good ally so far.
Translated from German by DeepL/ts
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