EU Pauses Countermeasures After Trump Trade Deal

The European Union announced Monday it will delay its planned countermeasures against U.S. tariffs for six months, just days before they were due to take effect.

“On 27 July 2025, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and US President Donald J. Trump agreed a deal on tariffs and trade,” said the EU Commission’s trade spokesperson.

The agreement, the spokesperson said, brings back “stability and predictability for citizens and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic.”

The EU is still working with Washington to finalize a joint declaration based on the July 27 agreement, according to the same spokesperson.

With that goal in mind, the European Commission will now move to suspend its retaliatory tariffs against the U.S., which had been slated to begin on August 7.

The six-month suspension is expected to be officially enacted on Tuesday.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request from CNBC for comment regarding the EU’s announcement.

The move marks a notable concession from one of America’s largest trading partners, following extensive talks between Trump and von der Leyen.

Last month, Trump announced a trade arrangement that included a 15% tariff on most European exports to the U.S., including cars.

In exchange, the White House said the EU had agreed to eliminate significant tariffs on American industrial goods exported to Europe.

Trump also claimed that the EU committed to buying $750 billion worth of U.S. energy and pledged $600 billion in new investments into the American economy.

However, questions remain over how those figures will materialize, since the EU cannot compel private companies to purchase specific U.S. goods like oil or grain.

The EU emphasized in its own statement that the arrangement was political in nature and “not legally binding.”

“Beyond taking the immediate actions committed, the EU and the US will further negotiate, in line with their relevant internal procedures, to fully implement the political agreement,” the statement said.

The EU’s move comes as Trump prepares for another pivotal week in trade policy.

After repeated delays, the start date for new U.S. tariff rates has again been pushed — now set for August 7, covering imports from more than 60 countries. The original date had been August 1.