Diplomats and lawmakers reached an agreement late on Tuesday to implement the controversial EU-U.S. agreement that abolishes customs duties on most U.S. industrial products imported from Europe’ya.
Negotiations call on US President Donald Trump's EU tools if Europeans do not implement the agreement %It ended two weeks after he threatened to impose 25 customs duties. the Riveted RivetsBy Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen last summer in Turnberry, Scotland, until July 4, ’.
The so-called “Turnberry Agreement, criticized by members of the European Parliament as unbalanced”, USA’'s customs duties on EU goods %It raises up to 15’.
Cyprus Trade Minister Michael Damianos, “AB and the United States share the world's largest and most integrated economic relationship. It is in the interest of both sides to maintain a stable, predictable and balanced transatlantic partnership, ” said, adding: “Today, the European Union is fulfilling its commitments.”
Lawmakers froze the deal for several weeks after Trump’ threatened Greenland ’ earlier this year. In addition, after the Supreme Court decision, which outlawed the tariffs imposed by the White House since Trump’ came to power, the U.S. also suspended this tax after ’ accepted new tariffs.
Demanding clarity from the Americans, EU lawmakers said that Commission’ will take its side in the U.S.A. ’'s deal, and that its tariffs will be as agreed. ter reassuring them that he would limit it to 15, he finally agreed to start negotiations with the EU Cyprus presidency, which represents EU member states.
Fragile EU-US relations
But EU-US relations remain fragile, and there are concerns in Brussels’ that the US administration may continue to use tariffs to put political pressure on the EU if the bloc fails to comply with White House ’'s demands on other issues.
Trump’'s threats against EU vehicles two weeks ago also targeted Germany’; Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized the war that the Americans started with Israel ’ in Iran’.
Trump has repeatedly called on European countries to deploy ships to help ensure the security of the Strait of Hormuz. The Europeans were reluctant to do so.
Many disagreements over NATO, which Ukraine and Trump ’ have repeatedly threatened to leave, continue to strain EU-US relations, including the recent extension of the sanctions exemption allowing the purchase of Russian oil.
On Tuesday night, lawmakers tried to secure the agreement by adding terms, risking US ’'s anger with additional provisions that Washington’ did not agree to.
Under the Turnberry Agreement, the EU has also committed to invest $600 billion in strategic sectors in the U.S. ’ by 2028 and to purchase U.S. energy worth $750 billion.
