“Currently, we must certainly expect a marked decline in the Swiss economic situation, but not a collapse of the economy. Estimates are however linked to many uncertainties ”. In a statement released this Wednesday before Easter, the Federal Council took stock of the soap opera of customs taxxes imposed by the new American president Donald Trump.
In his press release, he first made an inventory: “New American customs rights of 25 % on steel and aluminum products entered into force on March 12, 2025, as well as, on April 3, 2025, additional customs duties of 25 % on cars. An additional flat-rate customs right of 10 % on imports to the United States from almost all countries has also come into force on April 5. Some goods are currently excluded, including most pharmaceutical products. Additional customs duties of April 9, 2025, with a rate specific to each country (+21 % for Switzerland), were suspended for 90 days shortly after their entry into force ”.
According to the Federal Council, the consequences on Switzerland remain uncertain: “However, indirect consequences, due to a slowdown in the world is indirect, due to a slowdown in the global situation and to the volatility of the financial and exchange rates. The Swiss situation is expected to evolve less favorably than according to the cyclical forecasts of March 18, 2025, which tamed on a GDP growth of 1.4 % for the current year. As it stands, we must expect a slowdown in growth in Switzerland, but a collapse of the economic situation is not on the agenda. ”
To support companies that are potentially in difficulty, the Federal Council proposes to have recourse to compensation in the event of a reduction in the work schedule (RHT), which Switzerland has widely used during the pandemic, “in order to avoid layoffs in the event of temporary and inevitable loss of work”.
