Submitted text
On February 20, 2026, the US Supreme Court overturned the tariffs, finding them unlawful. In response, the US President decided to impose an additional 15 percent tariff based on Section 122 of the US Trade Act and citing the «balance of payments». This legal chaos and disdain for international institutions confirms that the US is no longer a reliable partner.
At the same time, our payment systems (Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay) are still subject to US jurisdiction. Dependence on these giants represents a significant strategic vulnerability. If Washington uses the «balance of payments» as a weapon in a trade war, the US may well exert direct influence on our financial flows tomorrow.
The European Union (EU) is pushing ahead with the introduction of the Wero payment service and preparations for the digital euro in order to secure its independence. In Switzerland, the digital sovereignty strategy is making little progress despite warnings from various media and experts.
Against this background, I would ask the Federal Council to answer the following questions:
- Monetary sovereigntyDoes the Federal Council intend to support or join European initiatives such as the European Payments Initiative (EPI), i.e. the Wero payment service, in order to ensure that the Swiss have a payment infrastructure that is independent of non-European players?
- Digital franc (Central Bank Digital Currency [CBDC]): How far along are the Swiss National Bank and the Federal Council in their deliberations on a universally accessible «digital franc» (retail CBDC)? This is the only instrument that can ensure everyone’s access to a digital public currency in case the private payment networks fail or if sanctions are taken against them?
- Agreement with the EUIn view of the unsuccessful negotiations with Washington, does the Federal Council intend to accelerate negotiations with the EU on the topics of finance and digitalization in order to create a common «protective shield to safeguard sovereignty»?
- PrivacyWhat measures are being taken to ensure that the transaction data of persons living in Switzerland are not used by the US authorities as leverage in connection with Section 122?