ZURICH, March 29 (Reuters) – Trade talks between Switzerland and the United States will continue ‌beyond March following a preliminary accord ‌on tariffs struck last year, Swiss President Guy Parmelin said.

Switzerland ​was subject to the highest U.S. tariffs in Europe when U.S. President Donald Trump in August imposed a 39% duty on products imported ‌from the country.

In ⁠November, Bern sealed an initial deal to cut the tariffs to 15%. ⁠Switzerland later began talks to formalise that accord, which Washington was pressing to conclude by ​the end ​of March.

In February, ​the U.S. Supreme Court ‌struck down Trump’s global tariffs, prompting him to order a fresh 10% global duty.

In March, the U.S. launched new investigations against major trading partners, including Switzerland, casting further uncertainty over ‌how talks would proceed.

Parmelin, who ​is also the Swiss ​economy minister, told ​state broadcaster RSI this weekend the ‌March target was “de facto” ​no longer ​applicable and that negotiations would continue.

The next round of Swiss-U.S. trade talks is likely ​to take place ‌in April, according to two people familiar ​with the matter.

(Reporting by Dave Graham, ​Editing by Rachel More)