EU weighs delaying US trade deal ratification amid 'tariff chaos' - FT

EU weighs delaying US trade deal ratification amid 'tariff chaos' - FT

EU Weighs Delaying US Trade Deal Ratification Amid "Tariff Chaos"

The European Parliament is considering suspending ratification of the EU-US Turnberry Agreement amid legal uncertainty triggered by President Donald Trump’s shifting tariff policies. Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s invalidation of Trump’s global tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), EU lawmakers have raised concerns about the enforceability of the transatlantic trade deal, which was negotiated last summer.

Bernd Lange, chair of the European Parliament’s trade committee, described the situation as “pure tariff chaos,” citing contradictions between Trump's new tariffs and the Turnberry Agreement's terms. The deal, which aims to remove EU tariffs on U.S. industrial goods and lobster while imposing a 15% tariff on EU exports to the U.S., now faces scrutiny over whether Trump’s Section 122 tariffs—allowing up to 15% levies on imports for 150 days— constitute a breach.

The EU’s hesitation reflects broader uncertainty about U.S. trade policy. After the Supreme Court ruling, Trump announced a 15% global tariff under Section 122, complicating the legal foundation of existing trade agreements. The European Parliament’s trade committee had initially paused ratification of the Turnberry Agreement in December following Trump’s Greenland annexation threat and is now debating whether to extend the delay.

Political divisions persist within the EU. The Greens and some lawmakers advocate for a pause until legal clarity emerges, while the European People’s Party, the largest group, opposes further delays. The European Commission has called for “full clarity” on U.S. commitments, emphasizing the EU's expectation that the U.S. honor agreed-upon tariff ceilings.

The outcome could influence transatlantic trade dynamics and the EU’s approach to global trade agreements. With Trump’s tariffs subject to expiration or congressional extension, stakeholders await further legal and diplomatic developments to assess the Turnberry Agreement's viability.

(https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-parliament-delay-trade-vote-donald-trump-tariffs/): Politico EU, Bloomberg
(https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-02-22/eu-may-freeze-us-trade-deal-approval-over-trump-s-tariff-chaos): Bloomberg, Yahoo Finance
(https://finance.yahoo.com/news/eu-may-freeze-us-trade-120607079.html): Yahoo Finance, Al Jazeera
(https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/2/22/trump-tariff-chaos-what-does-15-levy-mean-for-trade-deals-the-us-signed): Al Jazeera, NY Times