U.S. President Donald Trump attends a press convention on the White Home in Washington, D.C., the US, on June 27, 2025.
Hu Yousong | Xinhua Information Company | Getty Photos
All eyes are on talks between the U.S. and the European Union, which have but to strike a commerce cope with simply days to go earlier than Washington’s tariffs come into full impact.
Ought to the buying and selling companions fail to succeed in an settlement by July 9 — when a 90-day reprieve on U.S. President Donald Trump’s so-called reciprocal tariffs ends — EU items imported to the U.S. may very well be hit by duties of as much as 50%. Retaliatory measures from the EU concentrating on a variety of U.S. items, which have additionally been briefly placed on maintain, might then comply with shortly afterward.
The U.S.-EU commerce relationship is among the most vital on the earth, accounting for round 30% of world items buying and selling in keeping with the European Council. Medicinal and pharma merchandise, highway automobiles and petroleum merchandise are a number of the high traded items.
In 2024, commerce between the 2 transatlantic companions was valued at round 1.68 trillion euros ($1.98 trillion) when taking into consideration each items and companies, the European Council mentioned.
The EU recorded a surplus of 198 billion euros, on the subject of items, however logged a deficit of round 148 billion euro within the buying and selling of companies — that means the bloc total had a commerce surplus of round 50 billion euros in 2024.
Trump has repeatedly taken subject with the commerce relationship between Washington and Brussels, suggesting it’s unfair and accusing the EU of making the most of the U.S.
Sluggish shifting negotiations
U.S.-EU negotiations have seemed to be troublesome and gradual to achieve floor. Sources instructed CNBC earlier this week {that a} bare-bones political deal that’s gentle on particulars stands out as the EU’s greatest hope.
European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen appeared to echo the view on Thursday.
“What we’re aiming at is an settlement in precept,” she mentioned, including {that a} detailed settlement was “not possible” to succeed in throughout the 90-day reprieve.
Von der Leyen additionally reiterated that, if no settlement is reached, “all of the devices are on the desk.”
European Commerce Commissioner Maros Sefcovic in the meantime mentioned in a social media put up on Friday mentioned that he had had a “productive” week in Washington D.C. assembly varied U.S. officers.
“The work continues. Our purpose stays unchanged: a great and impressive transatlantic commerce deal,” he mentioned.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appeared extra hesitant concerning the odds of a commerce settlement being struck earlier than the deadline.
“We’ll see what we will do with the European Union,” he instructed CNBC’s “Squawk on the Road” on Thursday.
Is a deal coming?
Specialists talking to CNBC appeared skeptical concerning the short-term probability of a fully-fledged deal.
Anthony Gardner, former U.S. Ambassador to the EU, instructed CNBC’s “Squawk Field Europe” on Friday that he was “not stunned” von der Leyen had excluded the opportunity of an all-inclusive deal.
“The detailed settlement is what it says: detailed. It will probably run into many pages, [because] full commerce agreements are 1000’s of pages, however what we might see is heads of phrases just like the one which the U.S. signed with the U.Ok.,” he mentioned.
“In order that’s doable, however I do not suppose the precise content material will likely be related,” Gardner added.
Carsten Nickel, managing director at Teneo, went a step additional by saying a broad settlement was the “greatest end result” the EU might obtain.
The preliminary deal ought to purpose to win time for additional talks and embody the EU’s acceptance of a ten% baseline tariff from the U.S., he instructed CNBC by cellphone, explaining that this might then permit for additional conversations about gadgets equivalent to sectoral exemptions.
Uncertainty will however stay, even when such an association is brokered, Nickel urged.
“We’ll be in a world the place, no matter settlement has been struck by then will stay the topic of intense bargaining and can stay prone to the U.S. altering its thoughts, shedding endurance, trying in different instructions and so forth,” Nickel mentioned.
He doesn’t see the bloc imposing retaliatory measures until Trump slaps full tariffs subsequent week.
“And even then, I believe the EU will tread rigorously,” Nickel concluded.
