Containers are stacked at the Port of Los Angeles, on Friday, February 20, 2026. DAMIAN DOVARGANES / AP
European Union lawmakers took a key first step towards implementing a trade deal with the United States on Thursday, March 19, after it had been put on hold when the US Supreme Court struck down many of President Donald Trump's tariffs.
The European Parliament's trade committee voted to cut EU tariffs on some US imports as provided for under an August deal that Brussels has vowed to stick by, but, according to lawmakers, they also attached additional safeguards. "The tariff reductions will only take effect once the US has resolved the chaos following the Supreme Court's ruling," Green lawmaker Anna Cavazzini said.
The future of the EU-US pact was thrown into question after the court ruled in February that Trump lacks the authority to impose levies under a 1977 law.
Trump responded with fresh tariffs, but that raised complex questions about the implications for the EU deal, which had set tariffs at 15% for most EU goods. The European Parliament, which has a say on implementing the EU side of the accord, pressed pause on the process last month, and sought clarifications.
