The European Parliament has voted to approve legislation implementing a trade agreement with the United States, moving the bloc closer to resolving months of uncertainty driven by President Donald Trump’s tariff threats.
Lawmakers voted 417 to 154, with 71 abstentions, in favour of the measures on Thursday. The legislation would set tariffs at 15% on most EU goods entering the United States, down from the 30% initially threatened, in exchange for European investment in the US and the removal of EU import duties on American industrial goods. The text must still be signed off by all 27 EU member states before it takes effect, with a final vote expected in April or May.
Lawmakers moved to strengthen the deal’s protections before passing it, adding a provision that would suspend the agreement if the US imposes tariffs above 15% or introduces new duties on EU goods. A separate clause would halt the deal if the US threatened the territorial sovereignty of any EU member. Parliament also included a “sunrise clause” requiring the US to uphold its side of the agreement before EU tariff reductions take effect, and a “sunset clause” that would end the agreement entirely by 31 March 2028.
The framework agreement was reached last July during a meeting between European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Trump at his Turnberry golf course in Scotland. Von der Leyen described it as a “huge deal” at the time, while Trump called it “a good deal for everybody.” Trump said the EU would commit $600 billion in US investment and $750 billion in energy purchases, including American liquified natural gas, oil, and nuclear fuels.
European economy commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis offered cautious confidence following Thursday’s vote. “At this stage, we have received reassurances from the US that they intend to honour the deal,” he said. “While we will continue our efforts to maintain constructive relationships and avoid volatility, we will not turn a blind eye to any risks to our interests.” EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic described the vote as a “crucial step.”
The US and the EU are each other’s largest trading partners, with more than 1.6 trillion euros in goods and services exchanged in 2024, representing nearly a third of all global trade. The vote comes as the EU has worked to diversify its trade relationships since Trump’s sweeping global tariffs announced on what he called “Liberation Day” last year, signing deals with Australia and India in recent months.
