Deal with the USA Tariffs of 15 percent apply retroactively from November 14 - Trump: "Switzerland is now paying a fair amount"
US tariffs on Swiss goods will fall from 39 to 15 percent, retroactively from November 14. While politicians are divided, the business community is very relieved.
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- US tariffs will be reduced to 15 percent retroactively to November 14.
- In return, Switzerland is lowering import duties on certain fish and agricultural products.
- The USA is also lifting the flat-rate additional tariffs on other Swiss export products, including aircraft, cosmetics and generics.
- Certain sectors and goods are now exempt from the US additional tariffs.
Update 10:30 p.m. (December 10, 2025):
US President Donald Trump discussed a range of issues at a meeting with representatives from the private sector and members of the government on Wednesday evening. Among other things, Trump also commented on the customs deal with Switzerland. Trump spoke about countries that have achieved their wealth thanks to the strong US economy and also mentioned Switzerland. Trump said: "In the past, Switzerland has paid almost nothing to the USA in the form of tariffs, taxes or licenses. But now Switzerland is paying a fair amount."
He had initially set a tariff of 39 percent for Switzerland, Trump continued. "But I've decided to be nice." As part of the tariff deal struck with the US, the punitive tariff on imports of numerous Swiss goods into the US was reduced to 15 percent.
This article was comprehensively updated at 20.51.
The flat-rate US tariffs on Swiss goods will fall from 39 to 15 percent, with retroactive effect from November 14. This is based on the memorandum of understanding signed by Switzerland, the USA and Liechtenstein on that day.
The USA limited the flat-rate additional duty on goods imported from Switzerland to a maximum of 15 percent, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco) announced on Wednesday. In return, Switzerland is lowering import duties on certain fish and agricultural products.
Certain sectors and goods are currently exempt from US additional tariffs, and this should continue to apply. Such exemptions exist for pharmaceuticals, certain chemicals, gold and coffee, for example.
1500 tons of poultry meat per year
The USA is also lifting the blanket additional tariffs for other Swiss export products. These include aircraft, certain parts relevant to aviation, rubber products, cosmetics and generics. The list will be published in the US Federal Register. According to Seco, Switzerland intends to lobby for further exemptions.
Products that were already subject to tariffs of over 15 percent before April 2 will again be subject to the original tariffs. April 2 is the day on which US President Donald Trump announced additional tariffs for Switzerland of over 30 percent.
However, Switzerland will also reduce tariffs on US goods. These include fish, seafood and certain agricultural products that are not sensitive to agricultural policy. Switzerland has introduced duty-free, bilateral quotas for meat. They apply to 500 tons of beef, 1000 tons of bison and 1500 tons of poultry meat per year.
However, chlorinated chickens will not enter the country as a result, Economics Minister Guy Parmelin told the media in Bern on Wednesday.
"We have made concessions for duty-free quotas," said Parmelin. This does not mean the import of chlorinated chickens. In any case, 95 percent of poultry meat from the USA is chlorine-free.
Poultry meat treated with chlorine may not be imported into Switzerland, Parmelin clarified in response to a question from a journalist. However, meat from cattle treated with hormones or growth promoters may be imported into Switzerland. However, it would have to be declared here in Switzerland.
By limiting the flat-rate additional tariffs imposed by the USA to a maximum of 15 percent, trade-weighted US tariffs against Switzerland will fall by an average of around 10 percent, as Seco writes. Swiss companies would once again have similar conditions in the US market as their competitors from the EU and other countries that trade with the US and have a similar economic structure.
These are the reactions
The SVP welcomes the reduction in US tariffs on imports from Switzerland as a major success. SVP parliamentary group leader Thomas Aeschi praises the newly elected SVP President Guy Parmelin in particular. For him, too, the latest announcements are a great success.
The response from the political left is much more restrained. The Greens, on the other hand, are annoyed by the timetable for the negotiating mandate. The Federal Council is creating facts just a few days before Parliament has even been consulted, party president Lisa Mazzone was quoted as saying.
The SP is also predominantly skeptical. Tariffs of 15 percent are a step in the right direction. However, this step should not be taken at any price. The FDP also sees unanswered questions, although it speaks of good news for Switzerland. However, this is only the beginning of a long process that will take around two years, said FDP spokesman Christopher Ulmer.
Relief in the economy
There is great relief among business associations. "The retroactive reduction in US tariffs from 39 to 15 percent is a significant relief for the economy," wrote the business umbrella organization Economiesuisse. Swiss companies would once again be on an equal footing with their competitors from the EU/Efta states or Japan. The deal could "save numerous jobs in Switzerland".
Switzerland is now doing better than certain other countries, wrote the tech industry umbrella organization Swissmem on Platform X. The clear and stable structure of the measure creates planning security for companies, according to Swissmechanic, an association specializing in SMEs in the mechanical, electrical and metal industries.
The farmers' association is also satisfied. Its expectations regarding the allocation of quotas and its requirements for production standards have been met. "We expect this to remain the case," said spokeswoman Sandra Helfenstein. In addition, the reduction of tariffs to 15 percent is an important step for the Swiss cheese sector.
