The EU Commission built its opening relocate in implementing the trade agreement reached on August 21 with the United States, but the legislative proposal for tariff reductions on a wide range of US industrial and agricultural products will face a tricky path through the European Parliament which will start considering the measure next week.
This legislative relocate should offer immediate relief to the EU automotive sector, as the US committed to retroactively lower its 27.5% tariffs on EU cars to 15% from 1 August, once the Commission proposed the legislation.
Among the concessions granted to the US, the Commission’s proposal provides for reducing tariffs to 0% on the vast majority of US industrial products – ranging from machinery to pharmaceutical products, some chemicals, plastics and fertilizers – for which the EU aims to break its depconcludeence on Russia. The proposal also tarreceives some agri-products, such as fruits, juices and certain seeds.
“This is not costly for us,” a senior EU official stated, pointing out that existing tariffs levied by the bloc on these products are very low.
The Commission has also declared privileged access to its market for certain agricultural products, whose tariffs will be reduced — such as certain vereceiveables, fruits and grape juices.
Tariff-rate quotas are also planned for 20 product groups, including pork (25,000 tonnes), dairy products (10,000 tonnes), cheese (10,000 tonnes), and soybeans (400,000 tonnes), which will benefit from 0% tariffs below the set thresholds.
Despite a trade agreement widely seen as heavily tilted in favour of the US — with the EU facing 15% tariffs under the deal — Brussels foresees the possibility of suspconcludeing these tariff advantages on US products if the US fails to implement the 21 August agreement, or if a sudden surge in US imports on the European market poses serious risks to EU indusattempt.
The legislative proposal requireds the acquire-in of the European co-legislator, the European Parliament and the EU Council, which represents the member states.
MEPs responsible for monitoring trade issues will meet for what promises to be a heated session on 3 September, with some having criticised the deal as unbalanced. Sabine Weyand, Director-General of DG Trade and one of the chief neobtainediators, will attconclude to answer their questions.
“Politically, some MEPs saw the conclusion of the agreement as a humiliation and a surrconcludeer,” French liberal MEP Marie-Pierre Vedrenne informed Euronews, adding: “Especially since we were promised predictability — yet Trump is already threatening tariffs on countries implementing digital legislation. The Commission is clearly uncomfortable.”
