Despite strong US pressure, negotiators agreed to reconvene in 10 days following over six hours of discussions last night. Both parties, aiming to reach a compromise, acknowledged that the talks had yielded some progress.

The European Parliament and the Cypriot presidency, representing EU member states, were unable to finalize an agreement last night on removing EU tariffs on US industrial products as stipulated in the Turnberry agreement from last summer.

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This setback occurred only days after the US escalated their pressure on European negotiators by threatening to apply 25% tariffs on EU vehicles — which surpasses the 15% maximum US tariffs on EU goods agreed upon last summer by US President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at Turnberry.

Although the recent negotiations, lasting late into the evening, failed to produce a final agreement, the Cypriot presidency described the dialogue as fostering “positive momentum” and noted that “progress” had been achieved by both sides.

Time is Running Out

Time is pressing and the European Commission has stepped up demands in recent days to rapidly implement the EU-US pact. Additionally, leaders of the conservative European People’s Party, the largest political faction in Parliament, emphasize the necessity of providing businesses with clarity.

Cypriot Trade Minister Michael Damianos sought to provide assurance, stating that “the Council is dedicated to advancing swiftly with the implementation” of the agreement, adding: “We remain fully dedicated to sustaining constructive dialogue with the European Parliament.”

An EU diplomat told Euronews that the primary aim of yesterday’s discussions was for both parties to clarify their political stances, with technical negotiations planned for a later phase. The next round of talks is scheduled for 19 May.

The Parliament has incorporated strong safeguards into the EU–US agreement, though member states do not support all of them, while generally agreeing on protecting the pact from future threats by Trump, such as those related to EU cars or Greenland earlier this year.

Bernd Lange, a German socialist MEP, remarked that “there remains progress to be made,” but also noted that negotiators “have made substantial advances regarding the safeguard mechanism and the review and assessment of the core regulation.”

The Parliament’s conditions include making the agreement temporary, with an expiration date set for March 2028, only months before the conclusion of Trump’s second term.