Trump agrees to delay EU tariffs

The US president has said a 50% import duty will take effect on July 9 instead of June 1

The US will delay the introduction of a 50% tariff on goods from the EU by more than a month, moving the deadline from June 1 to July 9, President Donald Trump announced on Sunday. He added that the decision came after a phone call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he received a call from von der Leyen requesting a delay to the June 1 deadline. “I agreed to the extension – July 9, 2025 – it was my privilege to do so,” he wrote.

Trump earlier called the US trade deficit with the EU “totally unacceptable” and described the bloc as “very difficult to deal with” on trade matters.

Von der Leyen said in a post on X on Sunday that she had a “good” phone call with Trump, adding that Brussels is “ready to advance talks swiftly and decisively” to reach a deal.

In April, the Trump administration imposed a 20% tariff on all EU goods, along with 25% on car and metal imports. Later, the 20% tariff was suspended for 90 days, retaining only a 10% baseline. The measure is set to resume on July 9, with tariffs rising to 50% unless a deal with the bloc is reached.

READ MORE: Trump’s tariff threat could cost Germany €200 billion – study

Since then, the only new trade agreement announced has been with the UK. The EU, however, criticized the deal, which maintains a 10% baseline tariff on British exports while easing higher tariffs on steel and cars. Earlier this month, EU trade ministers warned that the bloc would consider retaliatory measures against the US unless more favorable terms are secured.

Trump has long accused the EU of engaging in unfair trading practices, claiming that the bloc’s extensive regulatory framework contributes to the transatlantic trade imbalance. Last week, the US president criticized the EU again, saying the trade deficit is driven by “trade barriers, VAT taxes, ridiculous corporate penalties, non-monetary trade barriers, monetary manipulations, [and] unfair and unjustified lawsuits against American companies.”