Trump gives EU until July 4 to ratify trade deal

Trump issued a July 4 ultimatum to the EU after a call with Von der Leyen, hours after trilogue negotiations broke down Wednesday night.bloomberg
The Turnberry Agreement, signed last July, caps US tariffs at 15%, but Trump already raised EU auto tariffs to 25% on May 1 over compliance disputes.wlos
MEPs are demanding safeguard and sunset clauses before approving the deal; the next trilogue is set for May 19 in Strasbourg.euronews

Trump Gives EU Until July 4 to Ratify Trade Deal or Face Higher Tariffs

President Donald Trump on Thursday issued a new ultimatum to the European Union, giving the bloc until July 4 — the 250th anniversary of American independence — to ratify a trade framework agreed last summer or face escalated tariffs. The announcement came after a phone call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and hours after EU negotiators failed to reach a breakthrough in overnight talks on the deal’s implementing legislation.

Trilogue Talks Break Down

Wednesday night’s trilogue negotiations between EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, members of the European Parliament, and EU national governments collapsed after six hours without conclusive decisions, according to Cyprus, which holds the EU’s rotating presidency. The deadlock means a new meeting is now scheduled for May 19 in Strasbourg.bloomberg

MEPs have resisted pressure to fast-track the legislation, demanding safeguard mechanisms including a suspension clause that would allow the EU to freeze the agreement if Trump threatens the bloc’s territorial integrity, and a sunset clause that would automatically expire tariff relief at the end of March 2028. “We are not here to be bullied,” a Socialist and Democrats source told Euronews.euronews

The Turnberry Agreement Under Strain

The deal at the center of the dispute — informally known as the “Turnberry Agreement” after the Scottish golf course where it was signed on July 27, 2025 — calls for the EU to eliminate tariffs on US industrial goods in exchange for a 15% ceiling on US tariffs for most European products, including cars. Under the agreement, the EU also committed to purchasing $750 billion in US energy and investing $600 billion in the United States by 2028.yahoo

Trump first accused the EU of non-compliance on May 1, raising tariffs on European cars and trucks to 25% — a breach of the deal’s 15% cap, according to Brussels. Von der Leyen responded this week from Armenia, declaring “a deal is a deal” and insisting the EU is “prepared for every scenario”.brusselstimes

Legislative Path Remains Uncertain

The European Parliament approved the deal’s implementing legislation in a plenary vote on March 26 with 417 votes in favor, but the text still requires agreement between Parliament, the Council, and the Commission through the trilogue process. Parliament officials told Euronews they were confident the deal could be approved within two weeks, with MEPs considering an extraordinary session to speed up proceedings.europa

Whether the May 19 trilogue or any subsequent session can produce a final text before Trump’s July 4 deadline remains unclear. The European Commission maintained Thursday that the process is “fully in line with standard legislative practice,” while insisting it continues to implement its side of the agreement.euronews