The European Commission has urged Washington to stick to the terms of last year’s EU-US trade agreement, after US President Donald Trump unveiled fresh global tariff hikes that have rattled markets and raised fresh legal questions.
In a firm but measured statement released on Sunday, the EU Commission stressed that commitments made between the two sides must be respected. “A deal is a deal,” it said, underlining that the European Union expects the United States to honour the joint understanding reached in 2025 – just as Brussels says it continues to do.
The appeal comes at a delicate momen, following President Trump's announcement of a temporary increase in global import duties to 15 percent on Saturday – a move that has injected new uncertainty into global trade flows. It came hot on the heels of a US Supreme Court ruling that deemed much of Trump's tariff strategy is unlawful, leaving policymakers and businesses alike trying to piece together what comes next.
Under the existing EU-US agreement, tariffs on most European goods were capped at 15 percent. Brussels made clear it expects that ceiling to remain intact, insisting that European products should continue to benefit from the “most competitive treatment” agreed previously.
At the same time, the Commission struck a constructive tone, emphasising the importance of dialogue. It said it remained in “close and continuous contact” with US officials, including recent discussions between EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic and his American counterparts.
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Seeking clarity amid uncertainty
While both sides appear keen to keep communication lines open, the legal backdrop has complicated matters. The Commission has formally requested clarification from Washington on how it intends to respond to the Supreme Court’s decision on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act – the legal basis for many of Trump’s tariffs.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer sought to reassure partners, saying existing trade agreements with the EU and others remain in force. “We expect to stand by them. We expect our partners to stand by them,” he said in a television interview, signalling a willingness to maintain continuity despite the court ruling.
Yet questions linger. European Central Bank president Christine Lagarde acknowledged the uncertainty, noting that the implications of the ruling are still not fully understood. “I hope it’s going to be clarified,” she said, echoing a broader sentiment across European institutions.
The timing is particularly sensitive, as the European Parliament’s trade committee had been preparing to approve the EU-US deal this week, but the legal ambiguity now casts doubt over whether that process will move ahead as planned.
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Rising tensions – but room for dialogue
Within the European Parliament, calls are growing for caution. Trade committee chairperson Bernd Lange said he would push to pause legislative work until there is greater legal certainty and clearer commitments from Washington.
His assessment was blunt, describing the situation as “tariff chaos” and warning that businesses and policymakers are struggling to make sense of rapidly shifting signals. Even so, his call for clarity rather than confrontation suggests Brussels is keen to keep negotiations on track.
Analysts, meanwhile, see a more strategic dimension to the latest US moves. Economists at Dutch banking group ING have suggested the tariff hikes could be a temporary manoeuvre – “smoke and mirrors” – giving the administration time to explore alternative legal routes, such as measures tied to unfair trade practices.
That possibility hints at a familiar dynamic in transatlantic trade relations: periods of tension followed by renewed negotiation. Even if the European Parliament were to seek changes to the current deal, Washington could still deploy other tariff tools to encourage fresh talks.
The Supreme Court ruling itself marks a rare judicial setback for Trump on a cornerstone of his economic agenda, one that has reshaped global trade patterns and prompted responses from partners worldwide.
For now, countries are watching closely and weighing their options.
(with newswires)
