Finance
EU says it will accept no increase in US tariffs after Supreme Court ruling: 'a deal is a deal'
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 22, 2026
2 min readLast updated: February 22, 2026
Tags:Global markets
Quick Summary
After a Supreme Court ruling, the EU says it won’t accept any rise in EU-US tariffs and demands clarity from Washington. Trump lifted temporary levies to 15%, testing last year’s trade deal.
EU Warns U.S. Against Raising Tariffs After Supreme Court Ruling
By Philip Blenkinsop
EU Response to U.S. Tariff Actions
BRUSSELS, Feb 22 (Reuters) - The European Commission demanded on Sunday that the United States stick to the terms of an EU-U.S. trade deal reached last year, after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Donald Trump's global tariffs and he responded with new levies across the board.
Call for clarity from Washington
The Commission, which negotiates trade policy on behalf of the 27 EU member states, said Washington must provide "full clarity" on the steps it intends to take following the court ruling.
Supreme Court Ruling and New Tariffs
After the court struck down Trump's global tariffs on Friday, the U.S. president announced temporary, across-the-board tariffs of 10%, which he then hiked to 15% a day later.
"The current situation is not conducive to delivering 'fair, balanced, and mutually beneficial' transatlantic trade and investment, as agreed to by both sides" in the joint statement setting out the terms of last year's trade agreement, the Commission said. "A deal is a deal."
Shift From Initial EU Reaction
The comments were far more strongly worded than the Commission's initial response on Friday, which had said only that it was studying the outcome of the Supreme Court decision and keeping in contact with the U.S. administration.
Terms of Last Year’s Trade Deal
Last year's trade deal set a 15% U.S. tariff rate for most EU goods, apart from those covered by other sectoral tariffs such as on steel. It also allowed zero tariffs on some products such as aircraft and spare parts. The EU agreed to remove import duties on many U.S. goods and withdrew a threat to retaliate with higher levies.
Rates, Exceptions, and Zero‑Tariff Items
"In particular, EU products must continue to benefit from the most competitive treatment, with no increases in tariffs beyond the clear and all-inclusive ceiling previously agreed," the EU executive said, adding that unpredictable tariffs were disruptive and undermined confidence across global markets.
High‑Level Contacts Between EU and U.S.
It said that EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic had discussed the issue with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Saturday.
(Reporting by Philip BlenkinsopEditing by Peter Graff)
Key Takeaways
- •EU Commission insists the U.S. must honor last year’s EU-U.S. trade deal without tariff increases.
- •Supreme Court ruling preceded the U.S. announcing temporary tariffs raised from 10% to 15%.
- •Brussels demands full clarity from Washington on next steps after the ruling.
- •Unpredictable tariff moves risk disrupting markets and undermining business confidence.
- •EU officials engaged USTR Jamieson Greer and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on the issue.
Frequently Asked Questions about EU says it will accept no increase in US tariffs after Supreme Court ruling: 'a deal is a deal'
1What is the main topic?
The EU demands the U.S. honor last year’s EU-U.S. trade deal and reject any increase in EU-US tariffs following a Supreme Court ruling.
2What changed after the Supreme Court decision?
After the ruling, the U.S. announced temporary tariffs that moved from 10% to 15%, prompting the EU to seek clarity and reaffirm the deal’s tariff limits.
3Why does the EU oppose higher tariffs now?
Brussels says raising tariffs would breach the agreed cap in the recent trade deal, create uncertainty, and disrupt global markets and investment.
