SWITZERLAND’S president was in Washington on Tuesday in a last-minute push to stop steep new tariffs, but with no appointment to plead her case to US President Donald Trump.
Switzerland faces a 39-percent duty, one of the highest among the dozens of economies that will be hit by new tariffs expected to come into force from Thursday.
President Karin Keller-Sutter and Economy Minister Guy Parmelin were visiting Washington “to facilitate meetings with the US authorities at short notice and hold talks with a view to improving the tariff situation for Switzerland,” the government said in a statement.
“The aim is to present a more attractive offer to the United States in a bid to lower the level of reciprocal tariffs for Swiss exports, taking US concerns into account.”
But a White House official told AFP there was “no meeting with the President scheduled at this time”.
Trump had originally threatened in April to slap a 31-per-cent tariff on Switzerland.
But he surprised the export-driven country last week when he decided to hike the rate to 39 per cent despite numerous discussions between Swiss and US officials aimed at reaching a deal.
AFP
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