Just hours before a pivotal negotiating session on the EU–US trade agreement, divisions between the European Parliament, the Council, and within political groups are threatening to derail a deal that was meant to provide stability for European businesses. The talks, scheduled for Wednesday evening, come as US President Donald Trump has escalated pressure by threatening to raise tariffs on European cars from 15% to 25%.
The agreement, reached last summer in Turnberry between Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, is now at the center of a tug-of-war between those who want it implemented without delay and those who insist on robust safeguards. The Cypriot presidency of the Council, representing member states, will sit down with German MEP Bernd Lange (S&D), chair of the Parliament's trade committee, to try to finalize the text.
EPP Pushes for Speed, Others Demand Conditions
The European People's Party (EPP), the largest group in the Parliament, is leading the charge for rapid implementation. Željana Zovko, the EPP's lead negotiator, told Euronews: “We want to get this deal through as soon as possible without any conditionality.” The party had previously backed a “sunrise clause” that would make EU tariff cuts conditional on US adherence to the 15% tariff cap agreed in Turnberry. But after Trump's latest threat, the EPP is now prepared to drop that demand.
“We gave this forward as a way out during negotiation with other political groups to vote on a mandate in March,” Zovko said. “But we have businesses crying for help and for certainty. Lange has to take responsibility.” EPP leader Manfred Weber has also signaled a willingness to bypass the trilogue process if no deal is reached, telling reporters: “If the trilogue does not produce a result, we will simply put [the agreement] to a vote.”
However, other political groups are pushing back. The Socialists & Democrats (S&D) argue that the Parliament must not cave to Trump's pressure. “Do we want everything we have put on the table? Of course not,” an S&D source said, while insisting that the EU must “protect” businesses from Trump's erratic social media posts and the US's use of tariffs as leverage. Socialist MEP Brando Benifei warned: “Trump's threats compel the Parliament to insist for solid guarantees on this agreement. Considering the US aggressive stance, only a balanced deal would provide stability to European businesses and citizens.”
The Greens/EFA group has also voiced strong opposition to the EPP's approach. Anna Cavazzini accused the conservatives of “playing a dangerous game,” saying they are trying to force Parliament to soften its position under pressure from the car industry. “Undermining the mandate painstakingly negotiated between our groups risks blowing up the deal. Instead we should continue negotiations as foreseen,” she said.
Member States Divided, Germany and France at Odds
The divisions extend to the Council, where member states are split. Germany, whose carmakers are directly targeted by Trump's tariff threat, is pushing for a quick adoption—though not at any price. France, meanwhile, has supported the Parliament's safeguards, including a clause allowing the EU to suspend the deal if the US imposes tariffs above the 15% ceiling or threatens the territorial integrity of EU member states—as Trump did over Greenland.
“There is definitely common ground to suspend the deal if the US doesn't deliver,” a third EU diplomat told Euronews. “But it's also in our interest not to feed Trump's narrative that the EU does not deliver.” Another diplomat expressed skepticism about a breakthrough, saying: “We are ready to move toward Parliament's position, but it is going too far for what we can accept.”
The stakes are high, as Trump's tariff threats have already rattled European markets and heightened uncertainty for exporters. The EU has prepared contingency measures, including potential retaliatory tariffs, but the priority remains implementing the Turnberry deal to restore predictability. As the EU prepares for a trade showdown, the outcome of tonight's talks will determine whether the bloc can present a united front or risk further fragmentation.
An EPP official told Euronews that negotiations need to move “fast” or pressure would continue to “pile-up.” The official added that political groups at the Parliament expected at least an agreement in principle from this evening's talks. But with the S&D skeptical and the Greens warning against a rushed deal, the path to a final agreement remains uncertain.
