European Parliament Approves EU-US Tariff Deal, Set to Take Effect Before Trump's July 4 Deadline

Trump Tariff War Key News

Central Bulletin

(Central News Agency, Strasbourg, June 16 –综合 international wire reports) As the European Union seeks to stabilize its turbulent transatlantic trade relations, the European Parliament today formally approved the tariff agreement with the United States. This approval means the EU is now on track to complete all remaining procedures before U.S. President Donald Trump’s self-imposed July 4 deadline, bringing the agreement one step closer to full implementation.

According to Agence France-Presse, the EU and the U.S. reached an agreement last July to maintain a 15% tariff on most EU exports to the U.S., while Brussels agreed to apply zero tariffs on American industrial products.

However, President Trump has expressed dissatisfaction over the EU’s delayed fulfillment of its commitments. Combined with Trump’s earlier remarks about acquiring Greenland and the U.S. Supreme Court ruling several tariffs unconstitutional, the implementation process has been delayed for months.

All EU member states have already agreed to the deal, meaning the European Parliament’s approval was the final political hurdle before implementation. The EU now aims to complete all procedures before Trump’s July 4 deadline, thereby avoiding his threatened imposition of new tariffs on European automobiles.

Major political groups in the European Parliament supported the agreement, including the conservative European People’s Party (EPP), to which European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen belongs.

In the vote held in Strasbourg, approximately 440 members voted in favor, 151 opposed, and 50 abstained.

The EU-US tariff agreement now only requires formal procedures before full enactment, including final ratification by member states—expected within the next few days or weeks—and publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

The European Parliament has included a series of safeguard measures in the agreement text. One provision states that unless extended, the agreement will automatically expire at the end of 2029.

Another 'safety net' measure grants the European Commission the authority to suspend the agreement if the U.S. fails to uphold its commitments or harms trade and investment activities.

Bernd Lange, Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade, stated in a press release: 'This agreement is still far from perfect, but it has been significantly strengthened.'

He added, 'The European Parliament will continue to closely monitor the implementation of the agreement,' and emphasized that lawmakers will remain vigilant against any U.S. violations. (Compiled by Hung Pei-Ying) 1150616

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