Supreme Court Ruling Sparks Uncertainty
European Parliament negotiators have paused the EU-US trade agreement following a US Supreme Court ruling that deemed several 2025 tariffs imposed by Washington illegal. The decision prompted President Donald Trump to announce new 15% duties on imports, leaving the original deal in question. German MEP Bernd Lange, chair of the parliamentary trade committee, said the legal foundation for the pact had “totally changed” and stressed that the EU needs a clear commitment from the US before moving forward.
Parliament Seeks Guarantees Before Ratification
The EU-US trade agreement, signed in July 2025 by Ursula von der Leyen and Trump after intense negotiations, has faced criticism in Europe for heavily favoring the United States. It locks in 15% tariffs on EU exports while offering mostly duty-free access to American goods. MEPs had previously frozen the deal after Trump threatened tariffs over Greenland, and although work briefly resumed, the scheduled vote has now been postponed indefinitely.
Diplomatic Efforts to Steady the Situation
EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič held urgent talks with US Trade Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer over the weekend, and consulted with G7 counterparts to contain the fallout. Šefčovič emphasized that clarity on how the 15% tariff framework will be applied is critical, noting “a deal is a deal and we have to respect it.” Trump’s aggressive trade approach aims to reshore industry and increase federal revenue, but the Supreme Court ruling has thrown the EU-US agreement into uncertainty, leaving lawmakers cautious about moving forward.
