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🇪🇺 European Union • European Parliament freezes ratification of the trade agreement with the United States
The European Parliament has decided to suspend the ratification process for the trade agreement between the European Union and the United States. The decision comes after Donald Trump's latest threats, with the main political groups confirming the freeze today.
A "majority agreement" was reached in the chamber to block the agreement concluded last year. The announcement was made by Iratxe Garcia Perez, president of the Social Democratic S&D group. The European People's Party (EPP) also confirmed the freeze on discussions. The trade agreement was sealed in the summer. It provides for 15% customs duties on European exports to the United States. At the same time, it removes customs duties on American exports to the European Union, and this asymmetry is now fuelling criticism.
For Manfred Weber, president of the EPP group, preventing American companies from accessing the European market without customs duties is "a very powerful tool". He refers to it as a major economic lever. In his view, the European market remains a decisive asset in any trade power struggle. Valérie Hayer, president of the centrist Renew group, shares this analysis. She believes that American companies would not be prepared to give up access to the European market. She sees it as a credible means of exerting pressure on Washington. For her, freezing the agreement strengthens the European Union's negotiating position.
However, part of the far right opposes this strategy. Nicola Procaccini, co-chair of the ECR group, considers freezing the agreement to be a mistake. He speaks of a poor political response and believes that suspending discussions weakens the European economy. The Patriots group, chaired by Jordan Bardella, takes a different position. It is in favour of "suspending" the US-EU agreement and asserts that a "power struggle" is now necessary in the face of Donald Trump's United States.
The suspension of discussions within the European Parliament prevents the agreement from being ratified. It therefore blocks its implementation. Without parliamentary approval, the trade agreement cannot enter into force, and this institutional step is essential under European procedures.
However, political groups remain divided on other possible responses to US threats. Positions vary on the scale of the response to be adopted. Some elected representatives are calling for a hard line. Others advocate a more cautious approach. The EPP is calling for "de-escalation". Through its president, the group rejects the implementation of the European anti-coercion mechanism. It fears a spiral of trade reprisals and also fears a lasting deterioration in relations with Washington. The anti-coercion mechanism is a trade tool used by the European Union to respond to economic pressure exerted by a third country. It can limit imports, restrict access to public procurement markets and block certain investments. Le Monde
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IN SHORT
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