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European Parliament Backs Conditional USEU Trade Deal

Lawmakers link tariff relief to strict US compliance to protect European industry.

Overview

  • Parliament advanced the agreement on Thursday with a 417–154 vote and sent the draft to EU governments for final negotiations.
  • EU tariffs on US industrial goods would drop only if the United States keeps last August’s pledges, including keeping average duties on EU goods below 15%.
  • If Washington later raises tariffs or applies economic pressure, the European Commission would cancel the tariff relief.
  • The package adds a review by 31 March 2028, applies the terms retroactively to 1 August 2025, and requires the US to cut duties on EU steel and aluminum derivatives to 15% within six months or lose the preferences.
  • US Ambassador Andrew Puzder warned that liquefied natural gas deliveries to Europe could suffer if the deal is reopened, a pressure tactic EU lawmakers criticized as they moved the text forward after a US Supreme Court ruling threw past US tariffs into doubt.