President Trump has agreed to extend the deadline for negotiating tariffs with the European Union by more than a month. Last month, he announced a 20% tariff on most EU goods, but later reduced it to 10% to allow time for negotiations. On Friday, Trump expressed frustration with the pace of talks and threatened to raise the tariff rate to 50% as soon as June 1.
However, on Sunday, he announced on social media that he was pushing his deadline back to July 9, following a “very nice” call with Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission chief. Von der Leyen echoed Trump’s assessment of the call and said the bloc was “ready to advance talks swiftly and decisively.” She stated that more time was required until July 9 to reach a good deal. Trump’s acceptance of that date aligns closely with his previous deadline of July 8.
Trump has long criticized what he views as an unfair US trading relationship with the EU, despite the bloc being one of Washington’s largest trading partners. Last year, the EU exported more than $600bn in goods to the US while importing $370bn worth, according to US government data. The US president has defended his wide-ranging program of tariffs by arguing that they will boost American manufacturing and protect jobs.
However, many economists argue that these tariffs will make products more expensive for US consumers and have already caused turmoil in the global economy.
New deadline for EU tariff talks
Tariffs are taxes charged on goods bought from other countries, paid by the companies that bring foreign goods into the US.
In the case of the EU, the president has particularly raised concerns about trade in cars and agricultural goods. Although some tariffs were paused earlier this year to allow for negotiations, a 25% levy on EU steel and aluminum remains in place. Speaking to reporters at the White House on Friday afternoon, Trump stated his intention to raise tariffs on all goods sent to the US from the EU to 50% by June 1, citing impatience with the ongoing negotiations.
Later that day, the EU’s trade chief, Maros Sefcovic, reaffirmed the bloc’s commitment to securing a fair deal, following a call with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Sefcovic emphasized that EU-US trade must be guided by mutual respect, not threats, and that the EU stands ready to defend its interests. The EU has threatened its own measures against the US but has paused them.
It previously considered introducing a 25% tariff on €18bn worth of US goods coming into Europe. The bloc is also currently consulting on additional measures against US imports valued at €95bn. European leaders, meanwhile, continue to warn against escalation, with France and Germany calling for a diplomatic solution to avoid tariffs that would harm both economies.
The extended negotiations reflect both sides’ willingness to reach an agreement despite the tensions and threats of high tariffs, underscoring the complexities of international trade relations.
