Across the Atlantic, US President Donald Trump has still not ordered a reduction in US tariffs on European vehicles. In the joint EU-US declaration, it was agreed that Washington would apply the 15% tariff on European cars from 1 August 2025, on one condition: that the EU would take steps to eliminate tariffs on US industrial products and reduce those on certain agri-food products. On the one hand, the European Commission fulfilled its part of the bargain on 28 August with the publication of two Regulations implementing these tariff cuts (see EUROPE 13697/4).
On the other hand, transatlantic talks to set tariff quotas on European steel and aluminium have yet to bear fruit. European exporters of aluminium and steel and over 400 derivative products are still facing tariffs of 50%.
In the absence of progress on these two fronts, MEPs have no intention of giving the green light to further opening up the European market to American industrial and agricultural products.
Brando Benifei (S&D, Italian), Chair of the European Parliament Delegation for relations with the United States, believes that a number of conditions need to be met before the two Regulations can be considered for approval. He is demanding an expiry date for these texts, guarantees of predictability for future trade relations, particularly on steel and aluminium, and the possibility of adopting counter-measures in the event of a breach of the agreement by Washington.
The Chair of Parliament’s Committee on International Trade, Bernd Lange (S&D, German), who is likely to be rapporteur on the two pieces of legislation in question, has expressed himself in similar terms in recent days.
However, two European Commission officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Agence Europe that there was no room for manoeuvre on the legislative proposals, which are a direct result of the agreement reached between Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and US President Donald Trump.
According to Brando Benifei, however, the changes he is calling for do not contradict the agreement reached in July. As for the product lines and tariff quotas listed in the Regulation, “they were drafted by the Commission and not by the United States. We can therefore adjust them as long as they respect the political agreement”, the MEP told Agence Europe.
At the EU Council, the Member States will also have to vote on lowering European tariffs. During the first exchanges on this subject this week between experts and ambassadors from the Member States, they raised a number of questions, but did not take a stance against the agreement or its implementation.
The EU27 have until 22 September to send in their comments on the two proposed Regulations. (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)