EU demands that US comply with trade agreement after new tariffs

The European Commission said this Friday (July 24, 2026) that it expects the United States to fully comply with the trade agreement signed in July 2025 between the parties and in force since July 1 of this year.

The government of President Donald Trump (Republican Party) announced on Thursday (23.Jul.2026) the imposition of new tariffs of 10% and 12.5% ​​on products from 60 trading partners, including the European Union, Brazil and China. According to Washington, countries failed to prevent the import of products made with forced labor.

According to Reutersthe EU is one of the few trading partners of the US for which the new tariffs do not add to the tariffs of “most favored nation” already existing. The measures also reestablish additional tariff exemptions for European products, such as cork and diamonds, in addition to those already valid for aircraft and parts, generic medicines and active ingredients.

“The EU notes with satisfaction that this outcome is in line with US tariff commitments agreed under the EU-US joint declaration”a spokesperson for the European Commission told Reuters. According to him, the decision gives a “positive impetus” to continue negotiations on new tariff exemptions and deepen cooperation.

The spokesperson said the EU expects the US to continue to comply with the terms of the agreement reached last year. Under the agreement, the bloc agreed to eliminate import tariffs on North American industrial products, while the US imposed 15% tariffs on most European products.

The EU also rejected US claims that it does not combat forced labor. “You can’t say that about the European Union”the vice-president of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, told Reuters this Friday (24.Jul.2026), in Manila.

“If we compare our labor laws to those in the United States, I mean, we have paid vacation, we have great working conditions for our employees, so there is no basis for that.”he stated.