EU Lawmakers Advance Tariff Cuts on American Goods Ahead of July Deadline

A European Parliament committee voted to remove import duties on a range of United States goods, advancing the European Union's side of a trade agreement with Washington. The two legislative files each passed by 31 votes to six with three abstentions.

The deal sets a 15 percent United States tariff on European goods while the bloc reduces its own tariffs on American products toward zero. President Donald Trump has threatened higher tariffs, including a 25 percent duty on European cars, if the European Union fails to implement the agreement by July 4.

Lawmakers attached a condition. The European Commission could suspend the deal, at the request of Parliament or a member state, if the United States does not lift its tariffs on European steel and aluminum by the end of 2026. The legislation still requires approval by the full assembly, expected around mid-June, which officials described as a formality.

The arrangement is asymmetric, with the European Union accepting a 15 percent tariff while cutting its own duties to zero. That reflects the leverage the United States has applied through the threat of escalation, and it sets a template for how Washington is conducting trade policy with major partners.