European Parliament Suspends Approval of Trade Deal with USA. Trump Administration Responds with Tariffs

Tensions between Brussels and Washington have reached a critical point after the European Parliament withdrew from immediately processing the bilateral economic agreement. MEPs from the trade committee called for suspending the agreement approval process, demanding explanations from the American side in the face of tariff uncertainty. Consultations are currently underway on a new parliamentary work schedule, and the final voting date remains unset. This decision is a direct consequence of a legal earthquake in the United States, where a recent Supreme Court ruling overturned previous presidential powers to arbitrarily impose protective fees. EU politicians emphasize they cannot accept the document under conditions of absolute uncertainty regarding the intentions of the American partner. „Queremos tener claridad. Hay mucha incertidumbre.” (We want clarity. There is a lot of uncertainty.) — EP Representative For several preceding days, officials had distanced themselves from drastic moves, but ultimately the necessity to safely freeze the work prevailed. Ratification of the arrangements is therefore under a huge question mark until the US government presents a stable vision for its tariff-based foreign policy. Dynamics of the Trade Conflict Development: 23 February — Court Ruling in USA; 23 February, 15:00 — European Parliament Decision; 23 February, 16:00 — White House Statement The history of fierce trade wars between Europe and the United States has a long tradition. The famous "Chicken War" of the 1960s, long-standing disputes over state subsidies granted to Boeing and Airbus corporations, and finally the restrictive import duties on steel and aluminum imposed in 2018 have systematically built an economic chasm in transatlantic relations. The US administration's response to the European delay came extremely categorically. Seeking political score-settling, President Donald Trump publicly announced the introduction of new punitive rates on goods imported from the Old Continent. Initially, some news agencies suggested a universal threshold of 10 percent. However, coordinators from diplomatic circles eventually cut off these speculations. According to the framework agreement from 2025, the USA applies a 15 percent rate to most goods from the EU, which is to guarantee reciprocity in trade relations. Although the Trump administration announced additional protective measures after the Supreme Court ruling, this rate results from earlier bilateral arrangements. This constitutes both a hard budgetary instrument and an uncompromising power tool calculated to force concessions from the Old World. Currency and financial experts note that imposing burdens on a trade flow glittering in billions of dollars will undoubtedly hit the profitability of German, Italian, and French industry. Meanwhile, capital markets have begun to show considerable nervousness, as the risk of a full closure of ports to foreign contractors is systematically increasing. 15% — planned new level of US import tax Achieving a broad diplomatic compromise now seems an exceptionally tedious process. Senior EU officials in unofficial comments harshly criticize the pressure imposed so abruptly from across the ocean. It is predicted that the end of February and the beginning of March will be dominated by desperate efforts to avoid a drastic market collapse. The postponement of the trade agreement approval act has outlined a powerful dilemma for parliamentary factions in Brussels: lower production indicators, adapting to realities, or implement analogous retaliatory tariffs. The next verifiable clash will take place again on the fourth day of the month, intimidating smaller export powers in the process. Next Decision Steps of the Feuding Powers: 4 March 2026 — Planned postponed vote by the European Parliament