‘EU legislation cannot be dictated by social media threats,’ says MEP trade chief

Published on 08/05/2026 - 15:33 GMT+2

German MEP Bernd Lange (S&D), the European Parliament’s pb negotiator connected the EU-US commercialized deal, defended connected Friday the EU legislative process aimed astatine implementing the agreement, pushing backmost against US disapproval that Europe is moving excessively slowly.

The comments came aft US President Donald Trump gave the EU until 4 July to chopped tariffs connected US goods to zero, arsenic agreed nether the woody signed past twelvemonth successful Turnberry with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, informing different of caller tariffs connected European products.

Washington has stepped up unit connected Brussels to fast-track the authorities needed to enforce the agreement. But negotiations betwixt the EU’s co-legislators failed Wednesday nighttime to nutrient a deal.

“European authorities cannot beryllium dictated by threatening societal media posts from Washington,” Lange said successful a statement, adding: “Our antiauthoritarian procedures are not negotiable. Even successful stormy weather, we enactment firmly connected course.”

Last week, Trump had already threatened to enforce 25% tariffs connected EU cars if the bloc failed to instrumentality its broadside of the statement — acold supra the 15% headdress agreed successful Turnberry.

The latest threats did not change negotiations betwixt MEPs and subordinate states, which stalled implicit the safeguards Parliament wants attached to the agreement.

US courts' rulings

Since the woody was struck, Parliament has been among its fiercest critics, denouncing what lawmakers spot arsenic a lopsided statement nether which the EU faces 15% tariffs and commits to large investments successful the US portion reducing its ain duties to zero.

MEPs suspended the woody earlier this twelvemonth aft Trump threatened tariffs against Europe successful his propulsion to get Greenland. Parliament aboriginal added conditions to the agreement, including a “sunset clause” ending the woody successful March 2028 and a suspension mechanics successful lawsuit of caller threats from Washington, marketplace distortions linked to US imports oregon economical coercion.

Lange said the safeguards indispensable besides shield the statement from increasing ineligible uncertainty successful the US, coming from caller tribunal rulings including a determination Thursday by the US Court of International Trade blocking tariffs affecting 3 plaintiff companies, arsenic good arsenic a February Supreme Court ruling declaring the 2025 tariffs illegal.

“All of this underlines however important a unchangeable European information nett is,” the MEP said.

“Europe indispensable stay susceptible of acting. We request to uphold the statement portion besides being capable to respond rapidly if the US presumption shifts again. Anything other would beryllium reckless and short-sighted.”

Lange confirmed a caller circular of negotiations betwixt EU lawmakers and subordinate states would instrumentality spot connected 19 May, some sides hoping to unafraid a woody that could beryllium rubber-stamped by Parliament successful June, up of Trump’s latest deadline.