SP's "Fuck you, Trump" policy replaced the left's previous motto of "Fuck you, economy" as a divisive and centrist stance being portrayed
The Swiss Federal President, Karin Keller-Sutter, and Economic Minister, Guy Parmelin, recently visited Washington to engage in urgent talks with U.S. authorities. The purpose of their visit was to negotiate on behalf of the Swiss Federal Government, aiming to reduce the punitive tariffs imposed on Swiss exports.
The tariffs, set to reach 39%, are significantly higher than those on EU or UK goods. The Swiss delegation sought to submit a more attractive offer to the U.S., hoping to lower the tariff level to around 15%, similar to deals the EU negotiated. The negotiations were crucial, as they aimed to protect Swiss trade interests, particularly in sensitive sectors like pharmaceuticals, machinery, watches, and chocolate.
However, the U.S., under President Trump, has accused Switzerland of "stealing" through its large trade surplus with the U.S. (about 40 billion Swiss francs). The tariff rates were essentially fixed by U.S. trade representatives. Despite this, the Swiss government intends to continue discussions to improve the tariff situation, acknowledging the economic importance of the U.S. as a key trading partner for Switzerland (18.6% of Swiss exports).
The visit to Washington has received criticism from the center-left in Switzerland. The criticism likely stems from concerns about the government's late and reactive handling of the tariff crisis and doubts about the success of the approach. The specific reason for the criticism is not specified in the provided paragraph.
Several business leaders accompanied Karin Keller-Sutter and Guy Parmelin on their journey to Washington. However, the identities of these business leaders and their roles in the negotiations remain undisclosed.
The outcome of the negotiations between the Swiss Federal Government and the American government is not revealed in the provided information. The news website NZZ.ch requires JavaScript for its functions, and readers are advised to adjust their settings to allow JavaScript on the website.
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