BERLIN (dpa-AFX) – EPP boss Manfred Weber is calling for quick confirmation of the European customs agreement with the USA. He himself welcomed the agreement, but the Social Democrats were hesitant, said the CSU European politician at the CDU Economic Council’s Economic Day in Berlin. If there is no clear signal from the Social Democrats now, he will put the agreement to a vote in the next plenary session of the European Parliament. Then he wanted to see “Butter on the Fishes,” said Weber.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen agreed on a framework agreement with US President Donald Trump in August 2025. Accordingly, a tariff cap of 15 percent should apply to most EU goods exports to the USA. However, the agreement was not initially ratified by the EU Parliament due to uncertainties regarding US customs policy. On Friday, Trump announced that he would increase tariffs on cars and trucks from the EU to 25 percent. He justified this by saying that the EU was not sticking to the agreed trade agreement./vsr/DP/jha
