The European Union will implement its tariff deal struck last year with the US from tomorrow, the European Commission said, meeting a 4 July deadline set by President Donald Trump.
Sealed between Mr Trump and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen last July, the deal sets levies of 15% on most EU exports to the US, and zero tariffs for US industrial goods coming into the 27-nation bloc.
“Promise made, promise delivered,” EU spokesman Olof Gill told reporters as texts enacting the bloc’s side of the accord were published in its official journal – meaning they will take effect the following day.
“The European Union always follows through on its commitments that we make in trade agreements,” Mr Gill added, saying the EU looked “forward to continuing the work with the US in the context” of the deal.
The bloc had agreed with Washington to remove duties on US industrial goods and introduce preferential access for certain seafood and farm products.
But President Trump’s threats to Greenland and a US Supreme Court decision striking down many of his tariffs fuelled months of delay in implementing the European side of the accord.
EU states gave it their final approval last week, following parliament’s approval earlier this month.
Politicians added a series of safeguards, including giving the European Commission power to suspend the pact if the US side fails to meet its commitments or acts to disrupt trade and investment.
Parliament also introduced an expiration date of end-2029, unless the agreement is renewed by then.
The implementation of the deal comes after President Trump last year threatened to slap a 100% tariff on European countries that impose a digital services tax.
