Swiss authorities aim to keep negotiating with US on tariffs

A day after US President Donald Trump’s tariff shock, Swiss officials remain in contact with authorities in the US, according to the government in Bern. Economists meanwhile warn of a big hit to Swiss jobs. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The US plans to impose tariffs of 39% on Swiss imports as of August 7, the White House said on the night of Thursday-Friday – a rate even higher than the 31% announced by Trump in April. The tariff hike also deviates “significantly” from the draft of a joint declaration of intent which had been the result of intensive discussions between both sides in recent months, according to the Swiss government, which approved the draft on July 4. As such, a spokesman for the finance ministry spoke on Friday of “great regret” that the US intends to impose steep unilateral additional tariffs on imports from Switzerland – “despite the progress made in bilateral talks and Switzerland’s very constructive attitude from the outset”.