Brussels, Belgium (Enmaeya News) — As the July 9 deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump gets closer, the European Union is working quickly to reach a new trade deal. European officials want to secure immediate cuts to U.S. tariffs on key products, warning that any deal without these changes might be rejected by some EU countries.
European diplomats told Reuters that the European Commission, which leads trade talks for the EU, is asking for tariff cuts to begin as soon as a basic agreement is reached. They do not want to wait for the final version of the deal, which could take weeks or even months to complete.
Some EU officials say any delay in applying the tariff relief would make the agreement lose its value.
Even though EU leaders understand that some U.S. tariffs—like the 10% ones on certain sectors—may stay in place, they are asking the U.S. to take steps in return. These include rolling back tariffs that were placed during Trump’s first term, especially on European goods such as alcohol, medical devices, and computer chips. The EU also wants commercial airplanes, spare parts, and medicines included in the deal.
One of the most serious demands from the EU is to remove the 25% tariffs on cars and car parts. EU countries see this as a “red line.” If the U.S. refuses to agree, the EU may respond with its own measures. The EU is also pushing for the immediate removal of the steel and aluminum tariffs, which the U.S. raised to 50% in June.
The EU wants any agreement to start taking effect as soon as it is signed, even if technical details are still being worked out. Several EU countries say a deal that is delayed in action would not be accepted politically or economically.
Although the deadline is approaching, an extension is still possible. On Monday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the decision to extend talks is up to President Trump. He mentioned September 1 as a possible new deadline.
Last week, the Trump administration sent a short document to the EU showing what the U.S. wants from the deal. However, according to EU diplomats, it did not offer any compromises.
For now, the U.S. appears firm on keeping tariffs on important industries, including the pharmaceutical sector. Trump recently said that tariffs on medicines could be announced very soon.
In a final push to avoid a trade clash, EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič and the chief of staff to the European Commission President, Björn Seibert, are heading to Washington this week. Their goal is to reach an early agreement that would lead to immediate tariff relief and prevent further tensions between the EU and the U.S.
If the talks fail, the EU will face a tough decision: accept an unfair deal or enter a new trade conflict with Washington.
