US launches trade investigation into Germany's drug pricing, threatening new tariffs

US trade investigation targets German drug pricing

The United States Trade Representative (USTR) initiated a Section 301 investigation on 19 June 2026 into Germany's pharmaceutical reimbursement practices. The USTR, Jamieson Greer, stated that the probe would assess whether "persistent underpayment for innovative drugs by Germany is unreasonable or discriminatory and burdens or restricts US commerce." The investigation follows months of talks with German officials that failed to resolve Washington's concerns.

“President Trump has made clear that American patients should not shoulder a disproportionate share of the global R&D costs for pharmaceuticals.”

Washington argues that US consumers pay much higher prices for prescription drugs than their German counterparts, effectively subsidising global innovation. According to OECD data cited by Handelsblatt, per capita pharmaceutical spending in Germany was $1,158 in 2023, compared to $1,713 in the United States.

Germany's health reform fuels the dispute

The probe comes as Berlin advances a healthcare cost-containment bill known as the GKV-Beitragsstabilisierungsgesetz. The legislation, spearheaded by Health Minister Nina Warken, was originally designed to generate €16.3 billion in savings by spreading cuts across hospitals, doctors, patients, and pharmaceutical companies. Greer expressed particular alarm over reports that Germany was fast-tracking the law, calling it "a serious step backwards at a time when our trading partners need to do more and start paying their fair share."

United States1,713

Germany1,158

United States

1713 $

Germany

1158 $

Data from the article text

Merz pushes back, insists it is a domestic matter

Speaking after an EU summit in Brussels on 19 June, Chancellor Friedrich Merz dismissed the accusations. "I assume that the United States will adhere to the agreement we have," Merz said. He stressed that "the reimbursement of modern, innovative drugs by our health insurers is a matter of national responsibility" and a "purely internal affair." He offered to provide information to American officials but maintained that the pricing system lies within Germany's statutory health insurance framework.

“If America wants information about it, we are of course happy to provide it. But this is a question of our reimbursement system within the legal framework of health insurance, and as such it is a purely domestic matter.”

Tensions test a freshly ratified trade deal

The escalation comes just days after the European Parliament voted on 16 June to ratify an economic pact with the US that caps American tariffs on most EU goods at 15%. In return, Brussels pledged to scrap duties on industrial imports including cars and machinery. The EU Council still needs to grant final approval, and the Parliament inserted emergency clauses allowing retaliation if Washington reimposes higher tariffs.

What comes next

The Section 301 committee will open a public comment period on 25 June, followed by a public hearing in September 2026. If the inquiry deems German policies unfair, the US could impose punitive tariffs that disrupt transatlantic trade. Greer pointed to a recent US-UK arrangement as a model for resolving the imbalance, urging Berlin to negotiate constructively.