EU Moves to Scrap US Import Duties Ahead of Trump Tariff Deadline
European negotiators are racing to finalize legislation before July 4 to avoid a threatened increase in US tariffs on EU goods.
Erbil (Kurdistan24) - European Union negotiators were expected to reach an agreement on Tuesday to eliminate import duties on American goods as part of efforts to implement a trade agreement with the United States and avoid threatened tariff hikes from US President Donald Trump.
The proposed measures are tied to a trade deal reached between Washington and Brussels at Trump’s Turnberry golf resort in Scotland in July 2025.
Under the agreement, the European Union committed to removing import duties on US industrial goods while granting preferential access to American agricultural and seafood products.
In exchange, the United States agreed to impose tariffs of 15 percent on most European goods instead of higher rates previously threatened by Trump.
Despite the agreement being reached nearly 10 months ago, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union still need to finalize legislation allowing the tariff reductions to officially enter into force.
Negotiators from both institutions were scheduled to meet Tuesday night in what officials described as a likely final round of talks.
According to lawmakers involved in the negotiations, expectations were high that a final agreement would be reached late Tuesday or early Wednesday.
The negotiations intensified after Trump warned that Washington could impose “much higher tariffs” on European goods if the European Union failed to implement its commitments before July 4.
Trump had earlier threatened to raise tariffs on European automobile imports to 25 percent from the current 15 percent level.
The legislation faced repeated delays after tensions emerged between Washington and European governments over Trump’s foreign policy positions, including disputes linked to Greenland and broader US tariff policies challenged before the US Supreme Court.
European lawmakers are now pushing for stronger legal safeguards to protect the bloc in case Washington does not fully honor the agreement.
Proposals under discussion reportedly include a “sunrise clause,” under which the EU would only remove duties once the United States fully implements its obligations, as well as mechanisms allowing Brussels to suspend the agreement if Washington breaches its terms.
Lawmakers are also discussing a “sunset clause” that would automatically end European tariff concessions by March 31, 2028.
However, several EU governments reportedly oppose tougher conditions, fearing they could provoke the Trump administration and create uncertainty for European businesses already facing economic pressure from global trade disputes.
The negotiations reflect growing efforts on both sides of the Atlantic to prevent a broader trade confrontation at a time of heightened geopolitical and economic tensions worldwide.