EU finalizes trade pact with United States, capping tariffs at 15%

The European Union’s Council of Ministers approved the ratification of the trade agreement negotiated between Brussels and Washington nearly a year ago. The pact sets a 15 % ceiling on the tariffs the United States imposes on most EU‑origin products, with exemptions for steel and aluminium. It also grants preferential access for certain US agricultural and seafood items, including a tariff‑free import quota for lobster that will run until 2030.

The agreement, signed in Turnberry by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and US President Donald Trump, will come into force once the two legislative texts are published, expected before the US‑set July 4 deadline that threatened higher duties. It automatically expires at the end of 2029 unless the EU decides to extend it after a full review. The deal includes quarterly reporting, parliamentary oversight and safeguard clauses that allow the EU to suspend or partially pause the pact if serious market distortions occur or if the United States breaches its commitments.