The European Parliament’s lead trade negotiators failed on Wednesday to reach consensus on the EU-US trade deal. Negotiations are likely to continue into next week, with a committee vote tentatively scheduled for 24 February and a final plenary vote planned for March.
Trade Committee Chair Bernd Lange (S&D/DEU) said in a statement that members “remain committed to advancing work on the two legislative proposals expeditiously, provided the US respects the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Union and its member states, and honours the terms of the Turnberry Deal”. He added that lawmakers “have also agreed to include among the grounds for suspension of the tariff preferences granted under both legislative proposals threats to the essential security interests of the Union or its member states, including their territorial integrity.”
Critics have characterized the July 2025 accord as heavily skewed toward Washington. It requires Europe to purchase $750bn in US energy, invest $600bn in America, and absorb a 15 per cent tariff on EU goods to forestall even higher American duties.
Safeguards against US hostility
No agreement has emerged as European lawmakers are debating if the sunset clause should last between 18 and 36 months. Whether the EU should withdraw tariff concessions until resolving the Trump administration’s 50 per cent tariff on steel derivatives was another issue.
The Renew and Socialist groups are pushing for suspension clauses that would allow the EU to halt the deal if Mr Trump becomes hostile again. His threats against Greenland and Danish territorial sovereignty has only heightened the concern. The EPP, by contrast, is pressing to approve the deal quickly.
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The committee must resolve these disputes before the 24 February session if the deal is to advance to a plenary vote in March. Parliamentary approval is critical for the agreement’s survival.
In the meantime, Washington’s patience is wearing thin. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told CNBC in January that the Parliament’s suspension “introduces further delay”. He accused Brussels of failing to implement commitments despite US tariff reductions.
