Parmelin on the customs deal with the USA "We haven't bought anything"
Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin has rejected criticism of the customs deal with the USA. Switzerland has not "bought its way out" as claimed. There are no obligations to make investments.
17.11.2025, 23:06
17.11.2025, 23:26
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- Guy Parmelin has rejected criticism of the customs agreement with the USA. Switzerland has "bought nothing", he said in an interview.
- "There is also no obligation for Switzerland or companies to make these investments," Parmelin said.
Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin has responded to criticism of Switzerland's customs agreement with the USA. In an interview on Monday with the newspapers of the CH-Media publishing house and the online platform "ajour.ch", he said, among other things, that Switzerland had "bought nothing".
"Swiss companies have simply informed us of their investment intentions in the USA over the next few years": Parmelin says this in response to a statement that Switzerland has "bought itself free". The Swiss companies would also have wanted to make these investments otherwise.
"There is also no obligation for Switzerland or the companies to make these investments". Parmelin also considers it "absolutely realistic" that the Swiss economy will invest CHF 200 billion in the USA over the next five years.
"The figures and intentions are from the companies themselves. They have construction projects, some of which have already been approved". Perhaps the targets will not be achieved by "one to two billion". "But the orders of magnitude are certainly right."
Negotiations must continue
In response to criticism that the Federal Council is only telling half the truth about the customs deal, Parmelin replies that many people simply haven't bothered to read the joint declaration by the two governments. "It makes a clear distinction between legally binding and legally non-binding". Much of what is currently causing "turmoil" still needs to be negotiated.
Switzerland does not have to adopt US safety standards for cars. However, the Federal Council is prepared to discuss whether there could be simplifications in the registration of vehicles. Swiss members of parliament have also called for such simplifications in parliamentary motions.
The commitments for imports of US agricultural products do not represent a threat to the existence of Swiss farmers "in any way", Parmelin continued. The Vaudois Federal Councillor replied to the remark that the Swiss Farmers' Association was calling for investment aid.
Any arms purchases are not part of the memorandum of understanding concluded with the USA. "If we buy US weapons, then of course we also need the ammunition. The question is whether they can also supply us with them."
Include an exit clause if necessary
Parmelin is also convinced that it will be possible to balance the US trade deficit with Switzerland by 2028. "The gold that melted in Switzerland has already been a driver that is already on the wane again," he says.
If the US Supreme Court were to declare Trump's tariffs unlawful, Trump's government would "certainly find other ways to maintain the high tariffs", Parmelin continues. "It is important that we structure the legally binding agreement that we are now negotiating in such a way that we can take such a development into account - for example with an exit clause."
Switzerland and the USA reached an agreement last week. The USA is reducing its tariffs for most products from Switzerland from 39 percent to 15 percent. It was still unclear when the new tariff rate would come into force. "It will take a little time," Parmelin told Swiss radio and television on Saturday. The aim is for the new customs tariff to apply as quickly as possible.
