On Sunday, the European Commission urged the United States to adhere to the EU-US trade agreement made last year. This call came after the US Supreme Court invalidated President Trump’s global tariffs, to which he responded with sweeping new tariffs.
The European Commission, representing the 27 EU member states in trade negotiations, emphasized that the US must clarify its intentions following the court’s decision.
Following the court’s decision on Friday, which nullified Trump’s tariffs, he reacted by announcing a temporary 10% tariff across the board, raising it to 15% the next day.
In a joint declaration regarding last year’s agreement, the European Commission stated: “The current situation is not conducive to achieving the ‘fair, balanced, and mutually beneficial’ transatlantic trade and investment that both sides have agreed to.” They added, “A deal is a deal.”
This statement marked a notable shift in tone from the Commission’s initial response on Friday, which was more measured and simply indicated that they were examining the implications of the Supreme Court ruling and maintaining contact with the Trump administration.
Last year’s trade agreement established a 15% tariff on most EU goods, aside from those with existing sector-specific tariffs, including steel. It also provided zero tariffs on certain products, like aircraft and spare parts. The EU had agreed to eliminate import duties on many US goods and lifted its threat to impose higher tariffs in retaliation.
“In particular, EU products must continue to benefit from the most competitive treatment, without tariffs increasing beyond the previously agreed caps,” the EU executive stated, warning that unpredictable tariffs could disrupt and diminish confidence in global markets.
EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic spoke with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Trade Secretary Howard Lutnick regarding these issues on Saturday, as reported.
