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Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 27, 2026
2 min read
Last updated: February 27, 2026
Image of Spirax’s manufacturing operations emphasizes the company’s optimistic sales growth forecast for the second half of the year, reflecting strong performance in the finance sector.
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.
Germany: Tariffs raise prices and harm export-oriented economies
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.
Switzerland: Push for clarity in trade discussions with Washington
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.”
Austria: Diversify market access as U.S. policy remains erratic
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.
EU urged to act with confidence and clarity
“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)