New US tariffs and what Swiss exporters need to do now

The United States tariff landscape continues to change quickly. This webinar recording brings together Swiss government and customs law perspectives on what currently applies to Swiss and Liechtenstein exporters, what may change next, and where compliance and enforcement risks are increasing.

What has changed in the baseline tariff regime

Speakers recap how the United States moved from the reciprocal tariff regime under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to a temporary Section 122 global tariff, and then to the current Section 301 “forced labor” approach. The key practical point for exporters is that the current measure is structured as an “all-in” rate of 12.5% for Switzerland, meaning the most-favored-nation duty rate and the additional duty together sum to 12.5%. If the most-favored-nation rate is already above 12.5%, no additional Section 301 duty is added.

What remains in force under Section 232 - and what is under review

The webinar distinguishes the baseline measures from sector-specific tariffs under Section 232, including existing tariffs on steel and aluminum and other sectoral measures that may affect supply chains. The speakers also discuss the announced Section 232 pharmaceutical tariffs and highlight that implementation details and exemption guidance may evolve through U.S. Customs and Border Protection instructions and frequently asked questions.

"If the MFN tariff rate is below 12.5%, there is the additional section 301 forced labor additional import tariff to a total of 12.5%.”

Michèle Glauser, Head of International Movement of Goods, SECO

What Swiss and Liechtenstein SMEs should do now

The speakers emphasize that tariff mitigation and compliance depend on getting the fundamentals right: tariff classification, customs valuation, and country of origin. They also flag that enforcement activity can increase when import patterns change, and that use-based exemptions - such as exemptions tied to pharmaceutical applications -may require robust documentation.

Watch the webinar recording for the full breakdown of the current 12.5% “all-in” approach, the exemption lists, and the compliance steps to reduce customs risk when exporting to the United States.