Switzerland, one of the countries whose tariffs President Trump suspended for 90 days, is moving closer to the EU amid economic uncertainty and instability. While Trump’s decision to temporarily suspend customs duty tariffs affected Switzerland along with other countries, the unexpected imposition of higher taxes on Switzerland, historically known as a “neutral country,” compared to other European nations, has shocked the country. According to a Reuters assessment, this move pushed Switzerland closer to the European Union (EU). Trump initially announced a 20% tariff on EU countries and a 31% tax on the “export-oriented” Switzerland. However, these tariffs were later reduced to 10%. While the pause in the “trade war” against many countries, excluding China, brought relief, it was noted that for Switzerland, this signaled the need for “greater interaction with neighboring EU member states in a more unpredictable world.” Switzerland took its initial step towards closer economic integration with the EU in December by reaching a political agreement with Brussels to review their trade relationship. Although this agreement faces a lengthy approval process, Swiss Federal President and Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter expressed her desire to “ensure stability and deepen relationships with the EU.” A report by Reuters mentioned the evaluation that “Neutral Switzerland directly combines a low-tax business model with direct democracy in order to create a stable and open economy that is wealthier than almost all EU member countries.” Following Trump’s tariff announcement, Keller-Sutter had a “quick” conversation with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and they agreed to stay in touch on how to proceed. Keller-Sutter is set to become the first Swiss Finance Minister to attend a routine meeting with EU finance ministers this Friday. The invitation for her to join the informal Ecofin meeting in Warsaw had come before Trump’s re-election. However, her participation in the meeting will boost strategic cooperation in key areas between the EU and Switzerland amid geopolitical turbulence like the Russia-Ukraine war and the U.S.’s “protectionist” economic policies. According to Jean-Philippe Kohl, Vice President of the Swissmem industry association, the shock from U.S. policies has made it even more urgent for Switzerland to approve the new agreement with the EU and further solidify the foundations of its ties with the EU as its largest market. Despite most parties foreseeing a secure future in partnership with the EU, the agreement is expected to face a “challenging approval process” in Switzerland. Socialist Party (SP) member of parliament Franziska Roth warned that if the agreement does not guarantee the protection of Swiss standards of living, such as high wages, its approval could become more difficult in any referendum scenario post-parliamentary approval. Roth recalled the decision supported by various parties in parliament last month, foreseeing a stronger security role in Europe and security cooperation with the EU, indicating that many parties see a secure future for Switzerland only through partnership with the EU.