Trump delays 50% EU tariffs after talks with von der Leyen
Donald Trump has decided to delay the imposition of 50% tariffs on goods from the EU following a discussion with Ursula von der Leyen. Trade negotiations are expected to resume shortly.
What do you need to know?
- Following a conversation with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Donald Trump has chosen to postpone the implementation of 50% tariffs on EU goods, which were initially scheduled to take effect on 1 June.
- The new date for imposing the tariffs has been moved to 9 July 2025, allowing time for trade talks between the US and the EU to recommence.
- Trump announced his decision after previously expressing that discussions with the EU were "going nowhere" and planning to impose the tariffs.
Why did Trump change his decision on tariffs?
US President Donald Trump, after a conversation with Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, decided to delay the imposition of 50% tariffs on European Union goods.
Trade discussions between both parties are expected to restart soon. Trump announced this on his social media platform, highlighting that he has agreed to extend the deadline to 9 July 2025.
What are the next steps in the trade negotiations?
Trump confirmed his decision in a conversation with journalists before leaving New Jersey for the White House.
Trump stated that Ursula von der Leyen had expressed a desire to enter into serious negotiations and proposed 9 July as a potential date. He agreed to the suggestion and noted that she mentioned they would meet soon to explore the possibility of reaching an agreement.
What does withdrawing from previous announcements mean?
Trump's announcement signifies a retreat from his Friday statement, when he declared that talks with the EU were "going nowhere" and, as a consequence, he would implement 50% tariffs on the EU. Initially, according to the announcement from 2 April, labelled "liberation day," EU goods were to be subjected to 20% tariffs, but Trump halted this rate, reducing it, as with all other countries except China, to 10%. The suspension of higher tariffs was to be effective until 9 July.
