EU intends to stall ratification of US trade agreement due to White House decision to introduce global tariffs

The European Parliament (EP) plans to suspend the process of adopting the EU-US trade agreement in connection with the recent decision of US President Donald Trump to introduce tariffs on imports from all countries, Bloomberg has reported.

"Major political groups in the EP stated on Monday that they are temporarily suspending work on the approval of the trade agreement," the agency informs.

Zeljana Zovko, the lead negotiator for the agreement from the ruling European People’s Party, told Bloomberg that "there is no other option" but to postpone the ratification process until deputies gain a better understanding of the situation.

The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats and the Renew Europe parties joined this decision.

Bernd Lange, Chairman of the EP Committee on International Trade, proposed calling an urgent meeting to reassess the US-EU trade arrangements. EU permanent representatives are also expected to meet to discuss trade relations with the US.

On Friday night, Trump announced that he had signed an executive order providing for the introduction of 10% tariffs on imports from all countries worldwide. Previously, Trump warned he would issue such an order after the US Supreme Court ruled many of the White House’s introduced tariffs illegal. Later, Trump decided to raise global tariffs from 10% to 15%.

In the summer of 2025, the US and the EU agreed on a trade deal under which most EU goods would be subject to a 15% tariff; 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to the US would also apply. The European Union agreed to such arrangements to avoid a full-scale trade war with Washington, Bloomberg reminds. However, later US attempts to extend the 50% tariffs to hundreds of other items, as well as a dispute over Greenland, complicated the situation.