ZURICH — Swiss President Guy Parmelin is heading to the United States next week to meet with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Switzerland’s government announced Thursday. The visit is part of an ongoing effort by Bern to turn a preliminary tariff agreement with the Trump administration into a formal deal.
Parmelin, who also serves as Switzerland’s economy minister, will make the U.S. stop as part of a wider North American journey scheduled from June 29 through July 9. The trip will also include visits to Canada and Mexico.
Switzerland had found itself facing the steepest American tariffs in all of Europe after President Donald Trump imposed a 39% duty on Swiss imports last summer. That changed in November when the two sides reached an initial agreement, bringing the tariff rate down to 15% — matching the rate applied to European Union goods. Formal negotiations to codify that arrangement have since been underway.
During the North American trip, Parmelin is also expected to attend Switzerland’s soccer World Cup match in Vancouver on July 2. The final portion of his journey will take him to Mexico, where he is scheduled to meet with President Claudia Sheinbaum and several ministers, according to Switzerland’s economy ministry.
Among Switzerland’s longer-term trade priorities is updating the free trade agreement between the European Free Trade Association and Mexico — a pact that has been in place for roughly 25 years, the ministry noted. Switzerland stands as the largest economy within EFTA, which also includes Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.
