European lawmakers on Wednesday said they reached a provisional deal to remove some import tariffs on U.S. goods, as part of the trade deal signed last summer, ahead of a deadline set by President Trump that would ramp up tariffs on cars.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and President Trump in July last year.
Lawmakers in Brussels had paused ratifying the deal signed last year in response to Trump’s imposition of a blanket new 15% global tariff in February, after the Supreme Court struck down duties implemented last year. The European Union also delayed the process when Trump threatened to raise tariffs on nations that opposed his desire to annex Greenland, part of Denmark.
Trump later said he would impose new 25% tariffs on EU car imports if Europeans did not implement the agreement by July 4.
The trade deal “is expected to serve as a platform to continue engaging with the U.S. to lower tariffs and cooperate closely on shared challenges,” the European Council said Wednesday.
The agreement reached Wednesday eliminates remaining import duties on U.S. industrial goods and reduces duties for certain seafood and agricultural products. The broader trade deal also raises tariffs on most EU goods imports into the U.S. to as much as 15%, with the EU pledging around $600 billion in investment in the U.S.
“A deal is a deal, and the EU honors its commitments,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on X. “Together, we can ensure stable, predictable, balanced, and mutually beneficial transatlantic trade.”
