EU negotiator defends slow legislative process amid US tariff threats
Negotiations between the EU’s co-legislators stalled on Wednesday night over necessary safeguards for the EU-US trade agreement, as pressure from Washington intensified.
European Parliament seeks safeguards, including a sunset clause and suspension mechanisms, to protect against US legal uncertainties and ensure a stable framework for trade negotiations.
“European legislation cannot be dictated by threatening social media posts from Washington,” stated Bernd Lange, emphasising the importance of maintaining democratic procedures.
Key developments
German MEP Bernd Lange defended the EU’s legislative process regarding the EU-US trade deal, refuting US President Donald Trump’s assertion that Europe is delaying implementation.
Negotiations between the EU’s co-legislators stalled over the safeguards Parliament wants attached, with Lange emphasising that EU democratic procedures cannot be dictated by threats from Washington.
‘EU legislation cannot be dictated by social media threats,’ says MEP trade chief
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German MEP Bernd Lange (S&D), the European Parliament’s lead negotiator on the EU-US trade deal, defended on Friday the EU legislative process aimed at implementing the agreement, pushing back against US criticism that Europe is moving too slowly.
The comments came after US President Donald Trump gave the EU until 4 July to cut tariffs on US goods to zero, as agreed under the deal signed last year in Turnberry with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, warning otherwise of new tariffs on European products.
Washington has stepped up pressure on Brussels to fast-track the legislation needed to enforce the agreement. But negotiations between the EU’s co-legislators failed Wednesday night to produce a deal.
“European legislation cannot be dictated by threatening social media posts from Washington,” Lange said in a statement, adding: “Our democratic procedures are not negotiable. Even in stormy weather, we stay firmly on course.”
Last week, Trump had already threatened to impose 25% tariffs on EU cars if the bloc failed to implement its side of the agreement — far above the 15% cap agreed in Turnberry.
The latest threats did not alter negotiations between MEPs and member states, which stalled over the safeguards Parliament wants attached to the agreement.
US courts’ rulings
Since the deal was struck, MEPs have been among its fiercest critics, denouncing what lawmakers see as a lopsided arrangement under which the EU faces 15% tariffs and commits to major investments in the US while reducing its own duties to zero.
MEPs suspended the deal earlier this year after Trump threatened tariffs against Europe in his push to acquire Greenland. Parliament later added conditions to the agreement, including a “sunset clause” ending the deal in March 2028 and a suspension mechanism in case of new threats from Washington, market distortions linked to US imports or economic coercion.
Lange said the safeguards must also shield the agreement from growing legal uncertainty in the US, coming from recent court rulings including a decision Thursday by the US Court of International Trade blocking tariffs affecting two plaintiff companies, as well as a February Supreme court ruling declaring the 2025 tariffs illegal.
“All of this underlines how important a stable European safety net is,” the MEP said.
“Europe must remain capable of acting. We need to uphold the agreement while also being able to react quickly if the US position shifts again. Anything else would be reckless and short-sighted.”
Lange confirmed a new round of negotiations between EU lawmakers and member states would take place on 19 May, both sides hoping to secure a deal that could be rubber-stamped by Parliament in June, ahead of Trump’s latest deadline.