“Surprising” decision

Some Swiss exports to the European Union are to be subject to new tariffs as of March 1 in a unilateral move by Brussels. The Swiss government on Wednesday said it had been told of the new tax on re-exports by local firms before receiving confirmation from Brussels on the matter. “Switzerland has not yet officially been informed [about this],” said Stephan Schmid, a spokesman for the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco) in Bern. Schmid said Switzerland would fight the decision and confirmed that an explanation had been sought from the authorities in Brussels. “Bern will do all it can to ensure that this measure does not come into force,” he said. Economically speaking, the EU is shooting itself in the foot by taking this decision. Until now products and materials imported to Switzerland and subsequently exported back to the EU have not been subject to customs charges.