BRUSSELS, June 16– The European Parliament on Tuesday approved legislation implementing the EU-U.S. trade deal, marking the final parliamentary step before the agreement formally takes effect.
The legislation removes most tariffs on industrial and agricultural goods from the United States and adds safeguard mechanisms, stipulating that the agreement will remain in force until the end of 2029 unless it is renewed. It also allows the European Union (EU) to suspend the agreement if Washington fails to honor its commitments or takes measures that disrupt trade and investment.
U.S. President Donald Trump had threatened to sharply raise tariffs on EU exports if the bloc failed to implement the trade agreement by July 4.
As a next step, the legislation will be submitted to the Council of the European Union for approval. Once formally adopted, it will enter into force on the day following its publication in the EU’s Official Journal.
The EU and the United States reached a trade agreement in July 2025. Its approval within the EU was delayed for months amid strained transatlantic relations, including tensions over Trump’s demands regarding Greenland and legal uncertainty surrounding the administration’s sweeping tariff policy.
(Namibia Daily News/Xinhua)
