The European Union has agreed to implement its trade deal with the United States after five hours of talks, aiming to prevent further tariffs threatened by Donald Trump. The agreement, struck last July at Trump's Scottish golf course, will remove import duties on most US goods entering the EU.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the pact, stating it ensures stable, predictable and mutually beneficial transatlantic trade. The deal puts the bloc on track to meet Trump's 4 July deadline for ratification, with the US already having implemented its side.
MEPs had twice frozen the ratification process in protest at Trump's tariff threats and his attempt to take control of Greenland. In a key victory, they inserted a clause allowing the EU to reinstall tariffs on US products like motorbikes if the US does not drop tariffs on steel derivatives by year-end.
The final text empowers the commission to trigger a suspension mechanism if the US fails to meet commitments or disrupts trade. A sunset clause allows the EU to end the deal by May 2029, coinciding with a new US presidential administration. The European parliament will vote on the deal on 16 or 17 June.
