The European Union (EU) is gearing up to take action in response to the recent tariff threats made by US President Donald Trump. The proposed tariffs, which target European products, have prompted the EU to consider halting the ratification of the EU-US trade agreement.
Manfred Weber, the head of the European People”s Party (EPP), the largest faction in the European Parliament, indicated that progress towards finalizing the trade deal is untenable under the current circumstances. In a recent social media statement, he emphasized that the EPP supports the trade agreement in principle; however, approval cannot proceed given Trump”s aggressive stance regarding Greenland.
Weber also suggested that the EU should suspend its commitments to reduce tariffs on US imports in light of these developments. The agreement, which was initially negotiated last summer by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Trump, has seen partial implementation but still requires the green light from the European Parliament to be fully enacted.
There is a growing consensus among EU Members of Parliament (MEPs) that if EPP members collaborate with left-leaning factions, they could amass enough support to either delay or completely obstruct the agreement. Under the terms previously laid out, the US was set to impose a 15% tariff on a majority of EU-origin goods, while the EU would eliminate tariffs on various US industrial products and select agricultural items.
Von der Leyen”s negotiation aimed to avert a full-scale trade conflict with the Trump administration. However, many EU lawmakers have expressed concerns regarding the balance of the agreement, particularly as tensions escalated following the US”s extension of 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum to hundreds of additional EU products.
Recently, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer criticized the EU for not adhering to certain conditions of the agreement, specifically those related to technology regulations. In response to Trump”s announcement of an additional 10% tariff on products from European nations supporting Greenland, effective February 1, the EU”s leadership has voiced strong disapproval.
Von der Leyen warned that these tariffs could undermine transatlantic relations and lead to a potentially damaging downward spiral. French President Emmanuel Macron described Trump”s threats as “unacceptable,” and Bernd Lange, chairman of the European Parliament”s Trade Committee, stated that respect for national sovereignty is a fundamental requirement for any trade agreement. Following Trump”s recent remarks, Lange has called for the EU to suspend all negotiations regarding the trade deal until the threats are retracted, and suggested that the EU consider activating the “anti-coercive instrument” (ACI), a measure that has never been employed before.
