Nine months after the EU and United States struck a controversial trade agreement at the Turnberry golf course, the deal remains mired in internal EU negotiations. The European Commission insists progress is being made, but inside the negotiating room, divisions between MEPs, the Commission, and member states are hardening—just as Donald Trump escalates pressure with fresh tariff threats.
The agreement would eliminate EU tariffs on US industrial goods and cap US tariffs at 15%. Yet Trump, frustrated by the delays, threatened over the weekend to impose 25% tariffs on European cars and trucks if the EU does not implement the deal swiftly.
Trilogue Talks Stall
Wednesday night’s trilogue negotiations between EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, MEPs, and representatives of EU national governments broke down after six hours. Although Šefčovič described the atmosphere as “constructive,” no consensus was reached. A new meeting is now scheduled for 19 May.
The Commission and most EU capitals want rapid approval, but MEPs are refusing to be rushed. They are demanding safeguard mechanisms in case Washington violates the agreement with new tariffs. Key demands include a suspension clause allowing the EU to freeze the deal if Trump threatens the bloc’s territorial integrity—as he did earlier this year when he suggested the US could annex Greenland.
MEPs also seek a safeguard against a flood of US imports that could distort competition within the EU’s Single Market. The Parliament’s chief negotiator, German MEP Bernd Lange, insisted on a sunset clause that would automatically expire tariff relief at the end of March 2028 unless explicitly renewed.
“We are not here to be bullied. It takes some time, but this is the regular legislative EU process, and we are working constructively,” a S&D source told Euronews.
Greens/EFA MEP Anna Cavazzini added: “The Parliament is not blocking the agreement, we are working on implementing it.”
The deadlock comes amid broader EU-US trade tensions. As the EU prepares for a trade showdown, MEPs argue that Trump’s erratic behaviour makes safeguards even more necessary. They point to his recent tariff threats as evidence that the deal must include robust protections.
Parliament officials, however, expressed confidence that the deal could be approved within the next two weeks, with MEPs considering an extraordinary meeting next week to accelerate the process. The outcome remains uncertain, as the EU grapples with internal rifts and external pressure from Washington.
This standoff echoes other trade challenges facing the bloc. As EU-China trade tensions escalate, Brussels must navigate a complex global landscape. The current impasse underscores the difficulty of balancing swift trade liberalisation with the need to protect European interests.
