A year on since the EU and US struck a trade deal in Turnberry, Scotland, the European Commission's approach has delivered on its key objectives:
- protecting EU trade and investment from an escalating, unpredictable transatlantic trade conflict
- safeguarding the Union's core economic interests
- strengthening EU unity.
The agreement, reached in July 2025, was followed by a Joint Statement in August 2025, which represents the basis for the EU's engagement with the US.
Following the formal approval by the European Parliament and Council of the EU, the framework entered into force on 1 July 2026.
The transatlantic relationship: A key artery of global trade
The EU-US partnership is the most significant bilateral trade and investment relationship in the world. Thanks to the terms agreed under the deal, in 2025 the Commission ensured EU exporters were able to keep trade levels steady, even growing slightly, and maintain an overall balanced relationship with its transatlantic partner.
What the deal achieved
The EU has fully implemented its main commitments under the Joint Statement, by eliminating tariffs on imports of US industrial goods, and improved market access for certain non-sensitive agri-food products, including lobster.
This is good news for EU consumers and companies, who will benefit from a wider range of imports at improved prices, in a context where most other EU trading partners already benefit from these lower tariff levels.
US tariffs have been capped at 15% - as a ceiling. The EU has also implemented meaningful guardrails to the terms of the deal:
A closer look at the agreement
- US tariff ceiling of 15% for most EU exports
A single, all-inclusive rate that applies across most sectors, including cars, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals and lumber. The 15% is a clear ceiling, which means no stacking. Moreover, sectors which are already subject to Most Favoured Nation (MFN) tariffs of 15% or above, will not be subject to additional tariffs.
- Zero or near-zero tariffs for a number of important product groups
This special MFN-tariff-only regime will apply to unavailable natural resources (such as cork), all aircraft and aircraft parts, generic pharmaceuticals and their ingredients and chemical precursors. Both sides agree to work ambitiously towards extending this regime to other product categories – a key deliverable for the EU.
- Protecting metals from unfair competition
A joint effort to protect the steel and aluminium sectors from unfair and distortive competition. This seeks to address global overcapacity, which threatens EU and US industry alike.
- Liberalising mutually beneficial trade from the US into the EU
To help EU importers and consumers save around €5 billion in duties each year, while core EU industrial and agricultural sensitivities remain protected.
- Reducing non-tariff barriers
Working together on car standards, reducing red tape in our trade and investment relationship, and recognising each other’s product checks in more industries.
- Cooperation on economic security
Strengthening supply chain resilience, tackling non-market practices, and deepening cooperation on investment screening and export controls.
- Access to critical energy and future-oriented supplies
The EU intends to procure US liquified natural gas, oil, and nuclear energy products, which will contribute to replacing Russian gas and oil on the EU market.
A platform for further progress
The Joint Statement ensured that the EU-US relationship continued to function on predictable terms, protecting the businesses, workers, and consumers on both sides who depend on it daily.
The EU and US are now ramping up cooperation across a wide range of areas, for the benefit of citizens and businesses:
This page was last updated on 24 July 2026