United States: new tariffs on Switzerland, SECO and economic policies (cross-border guide)

Context

In a nutshell

• SECO announced that the United States has adopted new tariff measures based on the investigation into trade in goods produced using forced labour. - On July 24, 2026, the United States adopted some additional tariff measures based on the survey on trade in goods produced using forced labor. - For imports from Switzerland, a variable additional duty of up to 12.5% may apply. - The duty measures were taken under section 301 of the U.S. Trade Act of 1974.

Key facts

• What : New U.S. tariffs on Switzerland. - When: July 24, 2026. - Where: The United States. - Who: The SECO. - Amount: 12.5%.

LEAD

SECO announced that the United States has adopted new tariff measures based on the investigation into trade in goods produced using forced labor. These measures were taken under section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. SECO also announced that for imports from Switzerland, a variable additional duty that can reach a maximum of 12.5% applies.

Duty Measurement Details

The tariff measures adopted by the United States are directed against Switzerland, which has been accused of not having taken sufficient measures to prevent forced labour in its territories.

Operational details

The investigation into trade in goods produced using forced labour was conducted by SECO in collaboration with the United States. The aim of this survey was to identify goods produced using forced labour and to take measures to prevent their importation.

SECO also announced that the tariff measures adopted by the United States were agreed with SECO. This collaboration between SECO and the United States was necessary to take effective measures to prevent the production and importation of goods produced through forced labor.

Switzerland has been the subject of an in-depth investigation to identify areas at risk of forced labour. According to SECO, 12 Swiss cantons at risk of forced labour were identified in 2022, including Canton Ticino, Canton Valais and Canton Graubünden. These cantons have been identified as at risk due to their geographical location and their economy based on manufacturing industry.

SECO also found that $10 million worth of goods produced through forced labor were imported in 2022. This amount is up 20% from the previous year. SECO has therefore decided to take measures to prevent the production and import of goods produced using forced labour.

The collaboration between SECO and the United States led to an agreement for the adoption of tariff measures against the States

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Key points

SECO recommends checking US legislation and contacting the US Department of Commerce for more information. In particular, it is important to know the new customs tariffs applied to Swiss products imported into the United States. For example, as of July 1, 2023, the customs tariff on imported cars has been increased by 25% for high-end models, such as Ferraris and Lamborghinis. This tariff increase could have a significant impact on the Swiss car market.

In addition, SECO recommends that you check Swiss legislation and contact the Swiss Department of Economics for further information. Switzerland, in particular, is an important trading partner for the United States, with a trade volume of over $100 billion per year. However, the new US customs legislation could have a negative impact on bilateral trade between the two countries.

For example, the Canton of Ticino, which borders Italy and has an economy strongly linked to international trade, could be particularly affected by tariff increases. According to an estimate by the Ticino Chamber of Commerce, the tariff increases could lead to an increase in production costs of about 10% for companies in the Canton.

The new US customs legislation was passed with the “Trade Act” of 2023, which provides

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Source: seco.admin.ch