A big majority of EU lawmakers agreed to chop EU tariffs on some US imports, as a primary step in direction of implementing the 2025 deal, however in addition they sought extra safeguards.
Though the European Parliament has given its conditional approval to the EU-US commerce pact, earlier than the deal is carried out by the bloc, it nonetheless must be negotiated with EU states.
The brand new menace on European vehicles “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 almost 1,200 small companies.
“You by no means know what would possibly set off the subsequent tariff menace,” Anthony added in an announcement.
Trump’s newest announcement additionally got here a day after his renewed criticism of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Trump advised Merz to give attention to ending the Ukraine battle as an alternative of “interfering” on Iran.
Germany would probably be hit laborious by a pointy tariff on vehicles and components, as it’s answerable for a big quantity of EU auto exports.
In April, EU commerce chief Maros Sefcovic was in Washington to satisfy 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 getting in a constructive path.
The USA is the second largest marketplace for new EU car exports, after the UK, in response to a 2025 reality sheet by the European Vehicle Producers’ Affiliation.
Over a fifth of EU car exports went to america.
Germany alone exported some 450,000 autos to america in 2024, in response to the VDA trade group. However that determine has since slipped.
