Germany, Switzerland, Austria press US to pursue stable trade ties
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A cargo ship at the port of Oakland following the Supreme Court's ruling that Trump had exceeded his authority when he imposed tariffs, in Oakland, California, U.S., February 24, 2026. REUTERS/Carlos Barria
ZURICH, Feb 27 (Reuters) - The economy ministers of Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Liechtenstein on Friday urged the United States to pursue stable trade relations and said it was vital to strengthen economic cooperation while uncertainty over U.S. policy persists.
Speaking a week after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down sweeping tariffs imposed last year by President Donald Trump, the ministers stressed the need to boost competitiveness and remove barriers to trade following a meeting in Zurich.
German Economy Minister Katherina Reiche said the export-oriented economies of the four German-speaking countries relied on stable trade relations and that tariffs were damaging both to international commerce and the U.S. economy.
"The tariffs have simply led to higher consumer prices," Reiche told reporters at a press conference alongside her counterparts from the other three countries.
Her Swiss counterpart Guy Parmelin, who is also the country's president for 2026, said uncertainty over trading conditions was detrimental to business and that this would be part of Switzerland's ongoing trade discussions with Washington.
"The sooner the United States brings clarity, the better the situation will be for everyone," Parmelin said. "That will then really be a win-win situation and not a lose-lose one."
Austrian Economy Minister Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer said while U.S. policy continued to be erratic, it was vital for European economies to diversify and expand their market access.
"We don't need to be afraid of Donald Trump, and shouldn't be," Hattmannsdorfer said. "Now's the time for the European Union to act with self-confidence and with clarity."
(Reporting by Dave Graham, editing by Linda Pasquini and Thomas Seythal)
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