A big majority of EU lawmakers agreed to chop EU tariffs on some US imports, as a primary step in the direction of implementing the 2025 deal, however in addition they sought further safeguards.
Though the European Parliament has given its conditional approval to the EU-US commerce pact, earlier than the deal is applied by the bloc, it nonetheless must be negotiated with EU states.
The brand new risk on European automobiles “clarify why many small companies count on to be cautious” with Trump’s tariffs, mentioned Dan Anthony, who heads “We Pay the Tariffs,” a coalition of practically 1,200 small companies.
“You by no means know what may set off the following tariff risk,” Anthony added in a press release.
Trump’s newest announcement additionally got here a day after his renewed criticism of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Trump informed Merz to deal with ending the Ukraine struggle as an alternative of “interfering” on Iran.
Germany would possible be hit laborious by a pointy tariff on automobiles and elements, as it’s liable for a major quantity of EU auto exports.
In April, EU commerce chief Maros Sefcovic was in Washington to fulfill with counterparts together with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and commerce envoy Jamieson Greer.
On the time, he mentioned that the EU was additionally looking for extra progress in easing the consequences of still-steep US metal tariffs, including that talks had been stepping into a constructive route.
The USA is the second largest marketplace for new EU car exports, after the UK, based on a 2025 truth sheet by the European Car Producers’ Affiliation.
Over a fifth of EU car exports went to the US.
Germany alone exported some 450,000 autos to the US in 2024, based on the VDA trade group. However that determine has since slipped.
