E.U. Freezes U.S. Trade Deal After Trump Announces 15% Global Tariff
European Parliament halted ratification after Trump imposed temporary 15% global tariffs and the Supreme Court on Feb. 20 struck down most emergency tariffs, roiling markets.
Overview
The European Parliament halted ratification of the July 2025 E.U.-U.S. trade deal on Monday after U.S. tariff plans became uncertain, officials said.
The action followed the Supreme Court's Feb. 20 ruling that IEEPA does not authorize most of Trump's emergency tariffs and Trump's announcement of a temporary 15% global tariff, officials said.
Bernd Lange, chair of the European Parliament's trade committee, called the U.S. approach “pure customs chaos” and Olof Gill said U.S. answers so far have not satisfied the bloc's questions.
Markets fell as Trump posted threats; the Dow dropped more than 710 points, the S&P 500 fell 1% and the Nasdaq fell 1.3%, while more than 1,000 companies have filed refund claims, sources said.
The 15% temporary tariffs were imposed under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 and can last 150 days unless Congress extends them, officials said.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story around uncertainty and economic fallout by foregrounding market drops, EU officials' skepticism, and Trump's social-media tariff threats. Editorial choices stress instability using urgent verbs and fallout-focused wording, prioritize EU trade officials and market data, while treating direct statements as source content rather than editorial claims.
Sources (176)
'Everyone here is irate': White House scrambles after tariff loss as Trump unloads on Supreme Court
•'Everyone here is irate': White House scrambles after tariff loss as Trump unloads on Supreme Court
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FAQ
The EU-US trade deal, known as the Turnberry agreement or sealed in August 2025, imposes a 15% import tax on 70% of European goods exported to the United States and sets a clear ceiling on tariffs for fair transatlantic trade.
The halt followed the US Supreme Court's February 20 ruling striking down most of Trump's emergency tariffs under IEEPA and his subsequent announcement of a temporary 15% global tariff, creating uncertainty about US commitments.
The 15% temporary tariffs were imposed under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 due to balance-of-payments issues and can last up to 150 days unless extended by Congress.
Markets fell sharply, with the Dow dropping over 710 points, S&P 500 down 1%, and Nasdaq down 1.3%, amid Trump's tariff threats and policy uncertainty.
Bernd Lange, chair of the European Parliament's trade committee, called it 'pure customs chaos' and summoned an emergency meeting; the European Commission demanded clarity from US officials like Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
History
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