European Parliament and bloc countries to discuss trade deal with US

The European Parliament and EU countries are preparing for the final phase of negotiations on a trade deal between the EU and the US amid growing pressure from the administration of President Donald Trump, Euronews reports.

On Tuesday, lawmakers and diplomats will again discuss the implementation of the agreement in the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The agreement provides for the reduction of European tariffs on US goods to zero and the introduction of a 15% cap on US tariffs on European goods.

The document must be finalized by June, approved at the next plenary session of the EP that month and meet the deadline set by Trump.

After speaking with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen last week, the US president said he would give the EU until July 4 to meet its commitments before he raises tariffs on European goods, including cars, to “much higher levels”.

Meanwhile, the European Parliament and the Council of the EU have reached a preliminary agreement that the trade deal can be suspended in the event of market disruptions caused by a surge in US imports. However, other details still need to be clarified and political groups are still divided.

This concerns in particular the so-called “sunrise clause”, which determines when the deal will come into effect. The European Parliament wants it to take effect only after Washington meets the 15% tariff cap. The European Commission and several member states want it to take effect immediately.

This clause was proposed by MEPs after the US Supreme Court in February ruled that US tariffs from 2025 were illegal. This prompted Washington to impose new tariffs on EU goods, which now exceed the agreed limit on average, which violates the deal.

MEPs also want the EU to be able to suspend the agreement in the event of threats to the bloc’s territorial integrity, such as those Trump raised earlier this year. But the EC opposes this provision.

Negotiations are also ongoing on the agreement’s expiry date, with EU lawmakers proposing March 2028.

Tags: EU, USA