BRUSSELS – European Union officials were set to reach an agreement Tuesday on eliminating import tariffs on American products, working to honor a trade agreement made with the United States last year while avoiding threatened tariff increases from former President Trump.
The agreement, negotiated at Trump’s Turnberry golf resort in Scotland last July, requires the EU to eliminate import tariffs on American industrial products and provide better access for US agricultural and seafood items. The United States would maintain 15% tariffs on most European Union goods in return.
Despite the deal being nearly 10 months old, both the European Parliament and the Council representing EU member nations must still approve legislative language before the tariff reductions can take effect. The primary disagreements center on protective measures in case Trump abandons the agreement.
Parliamentary and council negotiators were scheduled to convene for what sources expected to be final discussions beginning at 9 p.m. local time. EU legislators participating in the negotiations expressed confidence that an agreement would be reached late Tuesday or early Wednesday morning.
Trump has established a July 4th deadline for the European Union to fulfill its trade commitments, warning he would impose substantially higher tariffs on EU products including automobiles if the bloc fails to act. He previously threatened to increase tariffs on European car imports from the current 15% to 25%.
European lawmakers have twice delayed the necessary legislation following Trump’s threats to impose additional tariffs on European partners who didn’t support his proposed Greenland acquisition and after the Supreme Court overturned his global tariffs.
If negotiators reach an agreement, the bloc should satisfy Trump’s July 4th timeline, with the European Parliament expected to hold a final approval vote in mid-June.
Parliamentary representatives are pushing for stronger protective measures, including a provision requiring the United States to fulfill its obligations before the EU reduces duties, the ability to halt the agreement if America violates the terms, and an expiration date of March 31, 2028 for EU tariff concessions.
EU member governments have shown less enthusiasm for including such provisions, worried they might anger the Trump administration and create business uncertainty for European companies.
