President Keller-Sutter aims to negotiate a customs accord in Washington, D.C. - Extending Adoption Deadline for New Rules Proposed by the Commission
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In a bid to address the escalating tariff issues between Switzerland and the United States, Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on August 6, 2025. The closed-door meeting took place at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. [1][3][4].
The Swiss delegation, led by Keller-Sutter and Economics Minister Guy Parmelin, was seeking to negotiate and potentially reduce the steep tariffs of 39% that the Trump administration had imposed on Swiss goods exported to the U.S. [1][2]. The tariffs, significantly higher than those applied to the EU and UK, posed a threat to Swiss industries such as chocolate, machinery, and watchmaking [2][5].
Despite the meeting, no confirmation of a final agreement or resolution from the talks held on August 6 has been made public [1]. It was reported that no meeting with then-President Trump was planned "for the time being," suggesting that discussions are ongoing or further negotiation steps are necessary [1].
It is worth noting that the tariff surcharges imposed on Switzerland are not yet part of the agreements made with the European Union, Japan, or South Korea [6]. Additionally, President Trump has threatened Switzerland with tariffs of 31%, and he is planning to announce surcharges on medicines and other medical products this week, which could reach up to 250% [7].
In a recent interview, President Trump referred to Swiss President Keller-Sutter as the "Prime Minister" of Switzerland [8]. Despite this, it was reported that Keller-Sutter was not listening to Trump according to his statement [9].
Some economically important sectors for Switzerland, such as the pharmaceutical industry, have been exempt from Trump's tariff threats so far [5]. However, the ongoing tariff issue between Switzerland and the U.S. remains a significant concern for both countries' economies.
[1] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-switzerland-tariffs-idUSKCN24O295 [2] https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss-minister-in-washington-to-discuss-tariffs_swissinfo.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_2025-08-06_1100 [3] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-08-06/swiss-president-meets-with-marco-rubio-to-discuss-tariffs [4] https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/06/politics/swiss-president-rubio-tariffs/index.html [5] https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss-economy-hit-by-us-tariffs_swissinfo.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_2025-08-05_1100 [6] https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss-minister-in-washington-to-discuss-tariffs_swissinfo.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_2025-08-06_1100 [7] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-switzerland-tariffs-idUSKCN24O295 [8] https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/06/politics/swiss-president-rubio-tariffs/index.html [9] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-08-06/swiss-president-meets-with-marco-rubio-to-discuss-tariffs
- The Commission, in its role as a key player in policy-and-legislation and politics, has also been consulted on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the agreement on the European Union's external relations with the Republic of Moldova, given the general-news about ongoing war-and-conflicts in the region and the potential implications for EU's economy and its neighboring countries.
- Despite the escalating tariff issues between Switzerland and the United States being a matter of economics and policy-and-legislation, it has also attracted attention in the war-and-conflicts segment of general-news, given President Trump's aggressive stance on tariffs and the potential impact on Swiss industries and Switzerland's economy as a whole.
