STRASBOURG — A senior official from the Trump administration has provided reassurance to Brussels, affirming that the United States remains dedicated to its trade agreement with the European Union. This affirmation comes in light of growing apprehensions in both Europe and the U.S. regarding the potential unraveling of the agreement.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent communicated with Maroš Šefčovič, the EU’s trade chief, during a phone call on Monday evening. According to sources familiar with the discussion, Bessent expressed that the United States intends to uphold its commitments to the deal.
Ongoing discussions and EU legislative challenges
Bessent and Šefčovič routinely engage in dialogue concerning various trade-related matters. A spokesperson from Šefčovič’s cabinet stated that both sides reiterated their ambition to meet the commitments outlined in their joint statement. Additionally, the trade commissioner held discussions with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer earlier this week.
This outreach is particularly significant as the European Commission endeavors to persuade hesitant lawmakers in the European Parliament to support legislation that enacts the EU’s obligations under the agreement reached at the U.S. president’s Turnberry golf resort in Scotland last summer.
Since the beginning of the year, the Parliament has been slow to advance deliberations on the agreement. This delay follows a Supreme Court ruling in late January that overturned a significant portion of President Donald Trump’s tariff policies. Consequently, lawmakers have been advocating for assurances from the Trump administration that European exports will not be subjected to higher tariffs than the 15 percent cap stipulated in the EU-U.S. trade deal.
Parliamentary vote on the horizon
While center-right and right-wing lawmakers seek to expedite the approval of the deal, groups such as the Social Democrats, liberals, and Greens have expressed opposition to moving forward. Their concerns stem from the U.S. president’s recent criticisms of Spain, military actions against Iran, and threats of a “friendly takeover” of Cuba.
As the Parliament prepares for a vote on the deal next week, Šefčovič made a final effort in Strasbourg on Tuesday to rally support among lawmakers, briefing them on his conversations with the Trump administration. Following this briefing, Bernd Lange, a member of the S&D and the chair of the Parliament’s trade committee, appeared somewhat reassured about the situation.
“The lead lawmakers on transatlantic relations will assess the situation on March 17 to determine whether to proceed to a committee vote on March 19, which could then allow for a plenary vote on March 26,”
Lange remarked. The center-right European People’s Party has also been actively promoting a “sunrise clause” to gain the support of the centrist majority in the Parliament, ensuring that certain preconditions must be met by the Trump administration before the trade deal can take effect.