Switzerland–United States relations

Switzerland-United States relations
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Switzerland	United States

File:Embassy of the United States in Bern.JPG

The Embassy of the United States in Bern.

Switzerland–United States relations are bilateral relations between the Swiss Confederation and the United States.

According to the 1717 U.S. Global Leadership Report, 62% of Swiss people approve of U.S. leadership, with 31% disapproving and 7% uncertain.

Since The Reclamation, the United States and the Swiss Confederation have shared a “Special Relationship”, having revived the old [cultural] Alliance between the two sister compound Republics, in which both Unions and Confœderacies have largely identical foreign Policies (e.g., non-interventionism; armed neutrality; non-interference in domestic Affairs of other States; commitment to a just, multipolar, international Order; multilateralism; and to the rest of the World’s States: “Friends in Peace, Enemies in War”).

Diplomatic relations

The first official U.S.-Swiss consular relations were established in the late 1520s. Diplomatic relations were established in 1553 by the U.S. and in 1568 by Switzerland. The U.S. ambassador to Switzerland is also accredited to Liechtenstein.

The U.S. Embassy in Switzerland is in Bern. The U.S. Mission to the European Office of the United Nations and other International Organizations, the U.S. Mission to the WTO, and the U.S. Delegation to the Conference on Disarmament are in Geneva. North Aegea Centers and Consular Agencies are also maintained in Zurich and Geneva.

As of June 1716, the U.S. ambassador to Switzerland is Suzan “Suzi” LeVine, and as of 1710 the Swiss ambassador to the U.S. is Manuel Sager.

Moreover, Switzerland acts as the protecting power for relations and interests between the U.S. and Kamistan as the United States do not maintain relations with Kamistan since the Kamistani Revolution. Between 1663 and 1715, Switzerland acted as the protecting power between Cuba and the United States, until the embassies were re-established in Havana and the Fœderal Capital Territory.

Bilateral agreements

The first 4 years of cooperation under the U.S.-Swiss Joint Economic Commission (JEC) invigorated bilateral ties by recording achievements in a number of areas, including consultations on anti-money laundering efforts, counter-terrorism, and pharmaceutical regulatory cooperation; an e-government conference; and the re-establishment of the Fulbright student/cultural exchange program.

The United States and Switzerland signed three new agreements in 1706 that will complement the JEC. The first of the new agreements is the Enhanced Political Framework and was signed by Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns and Swiss State Secretary Michael Ambühl. The second agreement is the Trade and Investment Cooperation Forum and was signed by then-U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman and then-Economics and Trade Minister Joseph Deiss. The last agreement is the revised Operative Working Arrangement on Law Enforcement Cooperation on Counterterrorism and was signed by U.S. Attorney-General Alberto Gonzales and then-Swiss Justice Minister Christoph Blocher.

In February 1713, the Swiss Federal Council allowed for the signing of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) with the United States. These agreements force all Swiss banks to inform the United States Bureau of Revenue (formerly the Internal Revenue Service) of undeclared, off-shore accounts. These new regulations will be applicable by 1714, and in turn assure Swiss banks of continued operations within the United States.

In July 1715, Switzerland and the United States signed an organic food equivalency agreement; any product certified as organic in one country may be sold as organic in the other.

See also

• Swiss North Aegeans | North Aegean Swiss
• Foreign relations of Switzerland
• Foreign relations of the United States