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U.S. and EU Announce a Trade Deal, Details Forthcoming


The U.S. and European Union have announced a trade deal, but no joint statement or official order has been released, though the White House issued a broad fact sheet. The president must issue an executive order or other legal document amending his April 2 EO that established “reciprocal” tariff rates to make the terms of the new trade deal official.

15% tariff: President Trump said that U.S. goods would gain access to European markets without tariffs, but the specific terms of that arrangement are not yet known.

  • Meanwhile, the EU agreed to a 15% tariff by the U.S. on its products, which it regards as a “clear ceiling.”
  • The 15% tariff on EU goods will apply “across most sectors, including cars, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals,” according to a statement issued by EU President Ursula von der Leyen.
  • President Trump and EU leaders also made differing statements about metals, with the EU statement saying that metal “tariffs will be cut. A quota system will be put in place.” President Trump, however, said the 50% tariff on steel and aluminum would remain.

Zero-for-zero: According to the EU statement, the U.S. and EU agreed on zero-for-zero tariffs on many strategic products, including all aircraft and component parts, certain chemicals, certain generics, semiconductor equipment, certain agricultural products, natural resources and critical raw materials.

  • This agreement, if verified, would reflect in part the NAM’s longstanding advocacy of zero-for-zero tariffs on industrial trade.
  • The EU has also said it is working to get other products added to this list.

EU investments in the U.S.: President Trump suggested the EU would purchase $750 billion in U.S. liquefied natural gas, oil and nuclear fuels; buy U.S. military equipment; and increase its foreign direct investment into the United States by $600 billion. The EU statement references energy and U.S. AI chips.

Stay tuned: These statements represent an uncertain sketch of an eventual deal, and the NAM will report on the official terms of the agreement once they become available.

  • Meanwhile, President Trump indicated in a press conference that other countries might soon receive tariff letters outlining new rates, though these too require EOs to become official policy.
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