The European Parliament will not approve the EU-US trade agreement following the new tariff decision

Leaders of the European People’s Party (EPP), the largest group in the European Parliament, along with the Socialists & Democrats (S&D) and Renew Europe, described Trump’s statements as “unacceptable” and said that the approval process of the agreement should be halted.

EPP President Manfred Weber stated that, due to the threats made over Greenland, approving the trade agreement at this stage is “not possible.” He stressed that suspending the agreement which foresees zero tariffs on U.S. products has become unavoidable.

S&D President Iratxe García Pérez criticized Trump’s decision to impose tariffs of up to 25% on European allies supporting Greenland, describing it as “imperialist pressure.” She said the EU must act immediately, suspend negotiations, and activate its “anti-coercion instruments.”

Renew Europe leader Valérie Hayer also called Trump’s threat of tariffs against countries that do not support his plan to annex Greenland “unacceptable.” Arguing that the U.S. has recently taken a series of aggressive steps against the EU, Hayer said it is now necessary to “be deterrent.” She also announced that her group would not participate in the vote on the EU–U.S. Turnberry trade agreement.

Extraordinary EU Meeting

Following Trump’s decision to impose additional tariffs on eight European countries, ambassadors of EU member states were called to an extraordinary meeting in Brussels, where the situation is expected to be assessed.

Trade Agreement and Tariff Tensions

Trump had announced last July, after a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, that a trade agreement between the parties had been finalized. Under the deal, the EU would not impose tariffs on U.S. products, while the U.S. would apply a 15% tariff on EU goods. The agreement requires approval by the European Parliament to enter into force.

However, in a statement yesterday, Trump targeted European countries opposing the U.S. purchase of Greenland and announced new tariffs on Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland. According to the announcement, these eight countries will face a 10% tariff starting February 1, 2026, rising to 25% from June 1, 2026. Trump said the tariffs would remain in place until an agreement is reached for the complete purchase of Greenland by the United States.