On Wednesday, EU parliamentarians consented to restart the implementation of the EU-US trade agreement. Negotiations will persist regarding how future suspensions of the pact could be managed, with a potential parliamentary vote as soon as March.
Following US President Donald Trump’s abandonment of tariff threats on Greenland two weeks prior, EU lawmakers decided Wednesday to recommence efforts on applying the EU-US trade agreement.
The deal, reached in July 2024 between Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, establishes a 15% US tariff on EU exports, while the EU agreed to eliminate tariffs on imports from the US.
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), responsible for putting the agreement into law, had paused the process after Trump threatened tariffs against several EU nations if they resisted US attempts to purchase Greenland.
“Members of the trade committee remain dedicated to promptly advancing the two legislative proposals, assuming the US upholds the territorial sovereignty and integrity of the Union and its member states, and complies with the conditions of the Turnberry Deal,» stated German MEP Bernd Lange, chair of the Parliament’s trade committee. He also mentioned that a committee vote could occur on 24 February.
According to sources from Euronews, a full parliamentary vote might follow in March.
Disputes over terms
Political group representatives overseeing the file debated next steps behind closed doors on Wednesday, ultimately a majority supported unblocking the deal, as reported by Lange. Still, the discussion over the agreement’s content was intense.
The Socialists & Democrats, Renew Europe, and the Greens all advocated for a clause enabling suspension of the deal if new threats to the Arctic island’s territorial sovereignty arise, whereas the EPP—the largest centre-right group—favours swift resumption to provide stability for businesses.
“The EPP Group aims to restore momentum in EU-US trade relations by offering certainty to European enterprises and strengthening transatlantic ties,” said Croatian MEP Željana Zovko, the group’s lead negotiator, in a statement.
On Wednesday, she appeared noticeably frustrated after the meeting. “It’s like the Grammy Awards here,” she remarked. “Certain individuals are playing stars, but ultimately, citizens bear the cost.”
The Socialists & Democrats support a sunset clause where EU tariff reductions would expire after 18 months unless explicitly renewed, whereas the EPP wants the clause to activate only after three years.
Simultaneously, Greens’ representative Anna Cavazzini noted outstanding concerns remain.
“The EU faces repeated coercive attempts by the US, yet Member States turn a blind eye to this reality,” she stated. “The European Parliament must respond decisively to this paralysis.”
The far-right Patriots for Europe group continues to criticise the agreement, considering it poorly negotiated by the Commission, based on internal sources.