Exclusive: EU negotiators find deal on key clauses of the EU-US deal

Published connected 13/05/2026 - 14:02 GMT+2•Updated 14:08

EU lawmakers person reached a provisional woody to marque the EU-US commercialized statement suspendable successful the lawsuit of a marketplace disruption caused by a surge successful US imports, Euronews has learned from 2 sources adjacent to the talks.

Intense negotiations person been underway betwixt EU governments and the European Parliament implicit the implementation of the deal, which would chopped EU tariffs connected US goods to zero, nether unit from the Trump administration.

The US has suggested it volition treble tariffs connected European cars if an statement to swiftly instrumentality the woody is not approved by the European Parliament by 4 July

MEPs person been pushing for tougher conditions since the statement was clinched past summertime betwixt Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, arguing that it indispensable not go a conveyance for extortion of the EU.

The woody sees tariffs tripling connected EU goods entering America, though the duties are not stackable, portion US concern goods are reduced to zero. Members of the European Parliament person been delaying a ballot to instrumentality the accord, arguing that it needed to beryllium rebalanced and see clauses to support the EU's interests.

In caller days, a provisional compromise was recovered connected a safeguard mechanics allowing the EU to reimpose tariffs connected US concern goods if a surge successful imports disrupts the European market. The details of the wording of the clause are inactive nether discussion.

Negotiators besides agreed successful rule to see a “sunset clause” that would automatically terminate the woody unless renewed. Parliament initially sought an expiry day of March 2028, though the last timeline remains nether negotiation, the sources said.

‘Sunrise’ clause sparks tensions

However, talks stay astatine a standstill implicit a projected “sunrise clause” defining erstwhile the statement would statesman to apply. The EU Parliament wants the implementation day to commencement lone erstwhile Washington complies with the 15% tariff cap, portion the Commission opposes the information and wants it done immediately, 1 root said.

The sunrise clause was introduced by MEPs aft a US Supreme Court ruling successful February declared the 2025 US tariffs illegal, prompting Washington to present caller duties connected EU goods that present mean supra the agreed ceiling, truthful successful usurpation of the deal.

The European Commission is besides pushing to region references to the EU’s Anti-Coercion Instrument, seen arsenic the EU's commercialized bazooka that could curtail US entree to the European azygous marketplace successful unprecedented ways.

The Commission is besides pushing backmost against provisions allowing the suspension of the woody if Trump were to endanger the bloc’s territorial integrity again, 1 of the root said.

Following Trump’s threats earlier this twelvemonth to people EU countries refusing to enactment a US acquisition of Greenland, MEPs besides added provisions allowing the suspension of the woody successful the lawsuit of threats to the EU’s territorial integrity.

The Anti-Coercion Instrument is 1 of the EU’s strongest marketplace defence tools, designed to antagonistic economical unit from 3rd countries done measures including restrictions connected licenses and intelligence spot rights. Its usage was repeatedly discussed astatine the tallness of transatlantic commercialized tensions past year, but ne'er approved.

EU negotiators are aiming to finalise the statement by June up of a plenary ballot successful the European Parliament the aforesaid month, successful clip for the 4 July deadline acceptable by Trump.