BRUSSELS, Feb 23 — The European Parliament on Monday postponed for a second time a vote on the European Union’s trade agreement with the United States after President Donald Trump imposed a new blanket 15 percent import tariff.
Lawmakers had been debating proposals to remove numerous EU import duties on US goods, a central component of the deal struck in Turnberry, Scotland, last July. The agreement also aimed to maintain zero tariffs on US lobsters, first arranged in 2020. However, the new US tariff has created uncertainty over the deal’s implementation.
Parliament’s trade committee suspended a vote scheduled for Tuesday. Committee chair Bernd Lange said the temporary US tariff could raise levies on certain EU exports, adding that uncertainty remains about what will happen after the 150-day period ends. Lawmakers will reconvene on March 4 to assess whether Washington clarifies its position and reaffirms its commitment to the agreement.
This marks the second delay. Previously, lawmakers halted work in protest over Trump’s remarks regarding Greenland. Although many members criticized the agreement as unbalanced, they signaled conditional support, including an 18-month sunset clause and safeguards against surges in US imports.
Under the agreement, most EU goods would face a 15 percent US tariff, while selected products such as aircraft and spare parts would receive zero duties. In return, the EU pledged to eliminate tariffs on various US imports.
Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether Trump’s new tariff supersedes the deal. If applied cumulatively with existing most-favored-nation duties, some EU products, including certain cheeses, could face tariffs approaching 30 percent. Lange estimated that 7 to 8 percent of EU exports might exceed previously agreed rates.
