The European Union has paused the ratification process of its recently agreed-upon trade deal with the United States, following President Donald Trump’s weekend threat to impose a 15% global tariff on all imports. The move, announced Monday, halts scheduled votes in the European Parliament and initiates a reassessment of the agreement reached last July in Turnberry, Scotland.
Bernd Lange, chair of the European Parliament’s trade committee, stated the situation is “more uncertain than ever,” and that the new tariffs run “counter to the stability and predictability we sought to achieve with the Turnberry deal.” Votes previously scheduled for Tuesday have been postponed, and shadow rapporteurs – members of the European Parliament representing various political groups – will reconvene next week to evaluate the implications.
The tariff announcement came after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against President Trump’s previous attempts to levy tariffs using the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Trump has since indicated his administration will identify and implement “legally permissible tariffs” within the coming months, citing authority under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. He initially threatened a 10% tariff following the Supreme Court’s decision, later increasing it to 15%.
European officials have expressed concern that the proposed tariffs, applied indiscriminately to all countries exporting to the United States and layered on top of existing Most Favoured Nation (MFN) rates, would result in import rates exceeding the 15% threshold stipulated in the Turnberry agreement. Lange argued this constitutes a “clear departure from the terms” of the deal.
The EU is seeking clarification on how the new tariffs will affect the trade agreement. Frustrated European officials have requested details on the impact of Trump’s declaration, according to reports. The United Kingdom has also voiced concerns, warning that its own trade deals with the U.S. Are now at risk.
The Turnberry agreement, signed in July 2025, aimed to foster closer economic ties between the U.S. And the EU. The EU’s decision to pause ratification reflects the significant disruption caused by the latest tariff threat and the uncertainty surrounding the future of U.S. Trade policy.
