European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen faced a critical European Parliament today in Strasbourg, seeking to defend a contentious trade pact struck with U.S. President Donald Trump. The agreement—negotiated in July—imposes a 15% U.S. tariff on most European goods, while offering tariff-free access for certain sectors and eliminating EU duties on American industrial imports. Von der Leyen stressed that this arrangement was the strongest outcome available under the circumstances, averting a potentially destructive trade war while offering relative advantage over competitors facing steeper U.S. tariffs.
Her remarks came amid sharp skepticism from lawmakers, particularly those aligned with the centrist Renew bloc and others on the left, who denounced the pact as symptomatic of European weakness and capitulation to Washington. Yet von der Leyen and her allies—including Parliament’s European People’s Party and the more pragmatic ECR faction—argued that predictability for businesses amid a volatile geopolitical climate outweighed the deal’s imperfections.
Ahead of a decisive parliamentary vote on legislation to phase out EU tariffs on U.S. industrial goods—required for full implementation of the accord—trade chief Bernd Lange acknowledged there were “doubts,” hinting that amendments could emerge during the legislation’s deliberation process . Equally, trade Commissar Sabine Weyand reinforced that, while the U.S. 15% tariff was not prohibitive, it remained manageable—and crucially, the consolidation spared Europe from higher combined rates or punitive measures previously threatened.
Despite these reassurances, business confidence has yet to rebound fully. Some European firms report ongoing uncertainty due to lagging U.S. implementation and digital trade tensions, which have somewhat diluted the anticipated economic stability from the pact.
The session also served as the opening salvo of von der Leyen’s broader State of the Union address. She is expected to outline the EU’s strategic priorities for the coming year—including bolstering economic competitiveness, reinforcing defence capabilities, expanding support for Ukraine, and unveiling a new mechanism to shield Europe’s steel industry from cheaper imports—highlighting the deal’s role in providing a measure of global steadiness.
