EU approves provisional compromise on US trade deal

The European Union has reached a provisional compromise for the implementation of the trade deal with the United States, in a tense political context and under pressure from US President Donald Trump, according to the AFP agency. The agreement represents an important milestone in transatlantic relations, after months of complicated negotiations between European institutions and Washington.

• Intense negotiations in Strasbourg

The compromise was agreed following prolonged discussions between representatives of the European Parliament and member states, held in Strasbourg. The six-month presidency of the EU Council, held by Cyprus, announced the conclusion of the agreement after a night of negotiations. Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the result, stressing the need to conclude the process quickly: "This means that we will soon respect our part of the commitment we made," she said, calling for "stable and predictable transatlantic trade."

• Pressure from Washington

Donald Trump has set a July 4 deadline for ratification of the deal, threatening to raise tariffs on European cars and trucks from 15% to 25% if the EU fails to meet its obligations. The negotiated deal essentially sees the EU eliminate a large part of its tariffs on US imports in exchange for capping US tariffs at 15% on European products.

• Internal disputes within the EU

The deal needs the approval of both the European Parliament and member states for it to enter into force. MEPs initially called for stricter safeguards, including the ability to quickly re-impose tariffs if the deal is breached. A sticking point was the agreement's suspension mechanism. In the final version, the US has until the end of the year to eliminate any additional tariffs on certain industrial products, instead of immediate conditions. The "sunrise” and "sunset” clauses, which would have allowed the agreement to enter into force or expire automatically if conditions were not met, have also been modified: the first has been removed, and the second postponed until 2029.

• Political reactions and economic stakes

The chairman of the European Parliament's Committee on International Trade, Bernd Lange, argued that the institution had obtained sufficient guarantees, including mechanisms to monitor the economic impact and the possibility of suspending the agreement. The European Commission insisted that compliance with the commitments was essential for the stability of trade relations with the United States, the European Union's main economic partner.

The ratification process has been influenced not only by trade disputes, but also by broader political tensions between Brussels and Washington, including controversial statements on Greenland and debates related to American foreign policy. In this context, the Turnberry agreement is seen by the European Commission as an instrument for maintaining transatlantic economic stability, even if it remains contested in some European capitals.