Stalled for just two weeks, negotiations in the European Parliament on the terms of the summer 2025 trade agreement between the EU and the United States will resume next week.
This was the conclusion reached by the rapporteurs of the INTA (International Trade) Committee on Wednesday 4 February. The political groups had put the brakes on, on 21 January, in response to US President Donald Trump’s trade threats over the acquisition of Greenland (see EUROPE 13791/14).
The occupant of the White House finally backed down later that evening, having reached a framework agreement with NATO, the contours of which are still unclear (see EUROPE 13794/15).
For the EPP, the resumption of negotiations is a positive signal for “the stability that is so necessary for European businesses”, as Jörgen Warborn (Swedish), the group’s spokesman on international trade, pointed out.
In a similar vein, the ECR group stated in a press release that any further delay would “only increase the uncertainty weighing on the European industry”.
The centre-left of the Chamber is more cautious. For S&D, feigning indifference would be a mistake.
The regulations currently being negotiated to reduce and eliminate tariffs on a number of US products must include a “robust” suspension clause, enabling the agreement to be terminated in the event of “threats to the essential security interests of the Union or its Member States, including their territorial integrity”, the group points out.
The permanent rapporteur on EU-US relations, Bernd Lange (S&D, German), also pointed out that until US tariffs on European steel and aluminium are reduced to 15%, the EU will not be able to accept zero-tariff access to the European market for the same US products (see EUROPE 13737/7).
For shadow rapporteur Anna Cavazzini (Greens/EFA, German), it is also essential to adopt “strong language” regarding the activation of the EU’s anti-coercion instrument.
The Renew Europe group supports the resumption of talks, but also places conditions on its final approval of the agreement’s provisions (see other news).
Following these developments, a vote could take place on Tuesday 24 February in the Committee on International Trade (INTA), followed by a vote in the plenary session in March. Negotiations with the Council of the EU (see EUROPE 13762/15) can then begin. (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)