The European Parliament and the EU Council have tentatively agreed to zero customs duties on manufactured goods from the United States and expand market access for American seafood and agricultural products. This is reported in a press release on the website of the EU Council.
By doing so, the EU is moving closer to fulfilling its part of the deal struck between Brussels and Washington in July 2025. This step is likely to prevent an increase in US duties on EU products, the AFP news agency points out.
“Maintaining a stable, predictable and balanced transatlantic partnership is in the interests of both sides. Today, the European Union is honoring its commitments. We are and will remain a reliable and responsible partner in global trade,” said Michael Damianos, Minister of Energy, Trade and Industry of the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU.
According to the press release, the decision to zero import duties on U.S. manufactured goods is valid until the end of 2029.
The U.S. will keep 15% duties on European exports in exchange
The trade agreement between the EU and the US was concluded at talks between President Donald Trump and the head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen in July 2025.
Within its framework, Washington will keep customs duties on European goods at 15% in all sectors, except for steel and aluminum supplies – they will be subject to a rate of 50%.
The EU, in turn, pledged to cancel tariffs on all American industrial goods and open the market for a wide range of American products – seafood, dairy products, pork and soybean oil. However, the final text of the document required agreement from the EU, and this caused growing irritation to President Trump, writes AFP.
The United States remains the EU’s largest trading partner, with its economic relations accounting for nearly 30 percent of global trade, the EU Council said in a press release.
