EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič encouraged legislators to proceed with the EU-US trade agreement, despite the imposition of additional tariffs by Washington and the legal uncertainties casting doubt on the terms of the agreement.
The agreement was unexpectedly halted following a decision from the US Supreme Court deeming a majority of the tariffs imposed globally by the White House in 2025 as unlawful.
In response to this ruling, President Donald Trump swiftly introduced fresh 10 percent tariffs on goods imported from American allies, such as the EU.
Šefčovič further mentioned that his American counterparts had contacted him to provide assurance that they would adhere to the agreement as long as the EU upholds their end of the deal.
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However, the agreement reached in July 2025 between Trump and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen following intense negotiations on trade is now uncertain, as it must be ratified by the European Parliament to take effect.
Reports indicate Šefčovič urged members of the European Parliament during a meeting to move forward with a vote. He emphasized that the EU should not provide Washington with justification that suggests Brussels is not meeting its obligations.
Regarded as unbalanced by many in Brussels, the agreement retains a 15 percent tariff on European Union goods by the US, while the EU eliminates its tariffs on American goods entirely and pledges to make substantial investments totaling hundreds of billions of euros in the US.
Following the decision by the Supreme Court and the ensuing repercussions in Washington, the European Commission has advised the White House to uphold the agreement and has requested clarification regarding the subsequent actions to be taken, as well as details regarding the extent and timeline of the additional tariffs that President Trump declared in response to the ruling.
The Commission's Chief Spokesperson, Paula Pinho, stated that any provisions included in the agreement from July of the previous year should continue to remain in effect.
However, skeptical Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) remain unconvinced, as their approval is necessary to ratify the agreement. Prior to the hearing, German social democrat Bernd Lange, the chairman of the committee and the lead negotiator for the US trade deal in the parliament, asserted that the US had violated the terms of the agreement on multiple occasions.
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France is one of few EU member states advocating for the implementation of an anti-coercion trade mechanism within the bloc, which would involve imposing tariffs and other limitations on various American enterprises. Key figures of the committee made the decision to pause the ratification of the agreement until the US provides assurance that the Turnberry agreement is still in effect.
Meanwhile, Lange has expressed the necessity for the EU-US agreement to include provisions for sunset and review to prevent any regression by the US president. Additionally, any significant modifications would need to be approved by both EU member states and the US government. While theoretically achievable, a plenary vote in March appears overly optimistic and would necessitate a swift reversal of opinion by the parliament.