The suspension decision should be officially announced tomorrow afternoon in Strasbourg.
The agreement, reached between US President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on a golf course in Scotland, foresees a reduction of US tariffs on all imports from the EU to 15 percent. At the time of the agreement in Brussels, it was evaluated as favorable, after Trump’s threats of tariffs of up to 30 percent on European goods.
However, the agreement still needs to receive formal approval from the European Parliament. The International Trade Committee has not yet completed its analysis, which has led to a temporary suspension of the process. Additional pressure on the deal came after Trump on Saturday threatened to impose new US tariffs over the Greenland issue. German representative Manfred Weber then said that “approval is not possible at this time.”
During the final phase of negotiations, the EU temporarily suspended its own countermeasures, i.e. tariffs on US goods worth 93 billion euros. That suspension expires on February 6, and if it is neither extended nor confirmed in parliament by that date, European tariffs on American goods will take effect on February 7.
Further developments in the situation could further complicate trade relations between Brussels and Washington, at a time when transatlantic relations are already under pressure due to a number of open political and security issues.
(Vijesti.ba)
