EU says it will not accept increase in US tariffs

The European Commission said on Sunday that the United States must respect the EU–U.S. trade agreement made last year, after the U.S. Supreme Court cancelled Donald Trump’s global tariffs and he introduced new taxes on imports.

The Commission, which is responsible for trade policy for the 27 EU member countries, asked Washington to give “full clarity” about what it plans to do after the court’s decision.

On Friday, after the court rejected Trump’s global tariffs, the president announced temporary tariffs of 10% on all imports. A day later, he increased them to 15%.

The Commission said that the current situation does not support “fair, balanced, and mutually beneficial” trade between the two sides, as agreed in last year’s joint statement. It stressed that both sides must respect the agreement, adding: “A deal is a deal.”

These comments were much stronger than the Commission’s first reaction on Friday, when it only said it was examining the Supreme Court’s decision and staying in contact with the U.S. government.

Under last year’s trade agreement, the U.S. set a 15% tariff on most EU goods, except for products covered by special sector tariffs, such as steel. Some goods, including aircraft and spare parts, were allowed to enter without tariffs. In return, the EU removed import duties on many American products and cancelled plans to respond with higher tariffs.

The Commission also said that EU products must continue to receive the most favourable treatment, without any tariff increases above the agreed limit. It warned that unpredictable tariffs create problems and reduce trust in global markets.

It added that EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic had discussed the issue on Saturday with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.