POLITICAL AGREEMENT REACHED ON EU-US TRADE DEAL IMPLEMENTATION
The European Parliament and the Council of the EU have reached a political agreement on two Regulations that would eliminate tariffs on all US industrial goods and provide preferential market access for certain US agricultural and seafood products. The agreed texts will now enter the formal adoption process over the coming weeks, with a view to their rapid entry into force.
The Regulations implement the commitments set out in the EU-US Joint Statement of 21 August 2025, which itself followed the agreement reached by Commission President von der Leyen and US President Trump in July 2025. Under those commitments, the EU agreed to eliminate tariffs on all US industrial goods and improve market access for certain non-sensitive agri-food products. In return, the US committed to maintain a maximum tariff ceiling of 15% for most EU exports, including cars and car parts, and to provide exclusions from additional tariffs for several product groups such as unavailable natural resources, aircraft and parts, and generic pharmaceuticals.
The Regulations include a safeguard clause offering EU industry protection against possible trade disruptions, with regular monitoring of trade flows to allow for swift action in the event of an injurious or potentially injurious increase in US exports. The agreed texts also provide the EU with tools to enforce Joint Statement commitments, including the possibility of suspending tariff concessions in specifically defined circumstances.
Once formally adopted, the liberalised market access would remain in place until the end of 2029, with the possibility of extension. The transatlantic trade and investment relationship remains the most significant bilateral partnership in the world, with EU-US trade in goods and services surpassing €1.8 trillion in 2025.
Source: European Commission