U.S. import tariffs on Swiss-origin goods are expected to drop from 39% to 15% very soon, probably within the next few days or weeks.
Our recommendation: Please consider strategic timing on your orders. We recommend ordering now but postpone delivery to the latest possible moment.
Contact our sales team at sales@meerstetter.ch or +41 31 529 21 00 to discuss whether this approach fits your project timeline. No immediate action is required, but early planning may maximize your savings.
Background and details
The United States and Switzerland have signed a joint statement of intent to reduce U.S. tariffs on Swiss products from 39% to 15%, representing a potential 24% savings on customs duties.
Important to note: This is currently a statement of intent, not yet a binding agreement. The official document references Q1/2026 for implementation. Both timeline and final terms remain subject to negotiation. However, as mentioned above, U.S. customs duties will soon be reduced while negotiations on the trade agreement continue.
You can find the official announcement on the White House website.
How this may benefit your orders
If you have planned orders that are not time-critical, consider this approach:
- Place your order now to secure production capacity and current lead times.
- Request delayed shipment until the new tariff rate takes effect and potentially save up to 24% on customs duties.
This strategy involves timing uncertainty, but our sales team can help assess whether it makes sense for your specific situation.
Long-term supply resilience
Beyond this development, we're taking proactive steps to ensure supply flexibility and product availability:
- For our most popular products, we have opened a second supply chain with our EMS in the UK. Therefore, we can quickly switch to UK and provide UK-origin goods if needed.
- In parallel, we are exploring the possibility of establishing a long-term presence in the United States, either through a distribution partner or by setting up our own local operation.
These measures ensure we can maintain stable, cost-effective supply regardless of future trade policy changes.
Next steps
- We recommend reviewing your upcoming orders to identify projects that could benefit from strategic timing.
- Please contact our sales team by email at sales@meerstetter.ch or by phone at +41 31 529 21 00. We're happy to discuss your specific situation and work with you to optimize timing, logistics, and cost implications.
We'll keep you informed as soon as the effective date is confirmed or if there are any significant updates to the tariff situation.
You can also inform yourself about the latest developments at any time via the following websites:
- Website of U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- Website of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO of the Swiss Confederation
Thank you for your continued trust and collaboration.
Best regards,
Your Meerstetter Engineering Team