US president Donald Trump has agreed to postpone a planned tariff increase on European Union goods until 9 July, following a call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Trump had threatened to impose 50% tariffs on almost all EU imports from 1 June. But in a post on his Truth Social platform, he confirmed a temporary pause after what he described as a "very nice call" with von der Leyen. "I agreed to the extension - it was my privilege to do so," he wrote. He added that talks would begin "very soon".
Von der Leyen welcomed the delay, writing on X that Europe was "ready to advance talks swiftly and decisively", but stressed the need for more time to secure a deal.
Good call with @POTUS.
The EU and US share the world’s most consequential and close trade relationship. Europe is ready to advance talks swiftly and decisively. To reach a good deal, we would need the time until July 9. — Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) May 25, 2025
The EU had previously paused its retaliatory measures on US tariffs. Since mid-March, the Trump administration has imposed tariffs of 25% on vehicles, 25% on steel and aluminium, and 10% on a wide range of other goods.
Ahead of Trump's decision, Flemish minister-president Matthias Diependaele (N-VA) responded cautiously to the tariff threat. "The Commission must lead negotiations and seek a balanced solution", he told HLN. "If that fails, we must consider countermeasures. This benefits no one - I hope he reconsiders."
The EU is one of America's largest trading partners, with bilateral trade exceeding $970billion in 2024. A new deal now hinges on rapid progress in the coming weeks.
