September 12, 2025|
AI
|3 months agoUS-Swiss Trade Tensions Escalate as Watch Industry Faces 39% Tariffs
Swiss watchmaking sector grapples with unprecedented US tariffs while government attempts to restart negotiations
AI
Generated IllustrationKey Takeaways
AI
- The United States has imposed a 39% tariff on Swiss exports, specifically targeting the watch industry.
- Switzerland now faces the fifth-highest US tariffs worldwide, ranking between Burma and Iraq.
- Swiss Economics Minister Guy Parmelin is in Washington to present a revised 'optimised offer' to end the customs dispute.
- The US is the primary destination for Swiss watches, accounting for CHF 4.3 billion ($5.4 billion) in exports in 2024.
- Exports to the US doubled in April 2025 compared to March, reaching CHF 853 million.
By The Numbers
39%
Tariff rate
CHF 4.3 billion
Export value
15%
Comparative Tariff Rate
7%
Economic Share
They Said
"I canât see Switzerland living with a 39% tariff rate."
"Switzerland is a small nation of 9 million people with little to offer the American exporter."