European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has strongly defended the recent trade agreement reached with US President Donald Trump, calling it a step toward stability and predictability rather than escalation and conflict.
Writing in an op-ed for the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Von der Leyen emphasised the broader implications of the deal, stating: “Imagine if the two largest economic powers of the democratic world had failed to agree and instead triggered a trade war – the only ones celebrating that would be in Moscow and Beijing.”
Addressing the agreed-upon US import tariffs of 15%, Von der Leyen acknowledged that while the deal is not perfect, it remains robust. “With retaliatory tariffs from our side, we would risk igniting an expensive trade war with negative consequences for our workers, consumers, and industries,” she explained.
The trade deal was reached verbally between Trump and Von der Leyen in late July during a meeting in Scotland, and it was formally ratified last Thursday, when additional details were disclosed. Under the agreement, most European goods will face a 15% import tariff in the US. However, European car manufacturers are expected to benefit from a reduction in the existing tariff, which will drop from 27.5% to 15%.
In return, the European Union has committed to phasing out tariffs on US industrial goods and removing barriers on specific food imports. The EU has also announced plans for substantial investments in the US and pledged to purchase $750 billion (€639.8 billion) worth of American energy over the coming years.
