Headlines
Trump Pushes EU to Cut Tariffs or Face Extra Duties, Ft Reports
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on May 23, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleQuick Summary
Trump's team demands EU tariff cuts to avoid 20% duties. Talks stalled as EU seeks a joint framework. U.S. tariffs on EU goods remain a key issue.
Trump pushes EU to cut tariffs or face extra duties, FT reports
(Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump's trade negotiators are pushing the EU to make unilateral tariff reductions on U.S. goods, saying without concessions the bloc will not progress in talks to avoid additional 20% "reciprocal" duties, the Financial Times reported on Friday.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is preparing to tell European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic on Friday that a recent "explanatory note" shared by Brussels for the talks falls short of U.S. expectations, the newspaper said citing unnamed sources.
The FT added that the European Union has been pushing for a jointly agreed framework text for the talks but the two sides remain too far apart.
Reuters was unable to immediately verify the report. The European Commission and Office of the United States Trade Representative did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
The U.S. imposed 25% tariffs on EU cars, steel and aluminium in March and 20% tariffs on other EU goods in April. It then halved the 20% rate until July 8, setting a 90-day window for talks to reach a more comprehensive tariff deal.
In response, the 27-nation EU suspended its own plans to impose retaliatory tariffs on some U.S. goods and proposed zero duties for all industrial goods on both sides.
(Reporting by Mrinmay Dey in Bengaluru; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Sonali Paul)
Key Takeaways
- •Trump's negotiators demand EU tariff cuts.
- •EU must make concessions to avoid 20% duties.
- •Talks are stalled due to differing expectations.
- •EU proposed zero duties for industrial goods.
- •U.S. imposed tariffs on EU cars, steel, and aluminium.
Frequently Asked Questions about Trump pushes EU to cut tariffs or face extra duties, FT reports
1What is the U.S. asking from the EU regarding tariffs?
The U.S. is pushing the EU to make unilateral tariff reductions on U.S. goods, stating that without concessions, the bloc will not progress in trade talks.
2What tariffs did the U.S. impose on EU goods?
The U.S. imposed 25% tariffs on EU cars, steel, and aluminum in March, and 20% tariffs on other EU goods in April, which were later halved until July 8.
3How has the EU responded to U.S. tariffs?
In response, the EU suspended its plans to impose retaliatory tariffs on some U.S. goods and proposed zero duties for all industrial goods on both sides.
4What is the current status of U.S.-EU trade talks?
The two sides remain too far apart, with the EU pushing for a jointly agreed framework text for the talks, while the U.S. finds the EU's recent proposals insufficient.
5Who is involved in the U.S.-EU trade negotiations?
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is set to communicate with European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic regarding the ongoing trade negotiations.
