The measure has broad consensus from the left to the right of the 27
This Tuesday, the European Parliament suspended the ratification of the trade agreement between the European Union and the USA, in response to threats from Donald Trump.
The confirmation was given by the president of the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) group in the European Parliament, Iratxe Garcia Pérez, who told journalists that there was an “agreement between the majority” of political groups to freeze the agreement concluded on August 21 last year.
The European People’s Party (EPP), the largest in the European Parliament, also confirmed the freeze on ratification of the agreement. The president of the EPP, Manfred Weber, had already stated that, due to the Trump administration’s threats regarding Greenland, including 10% tariffs against six countries in the bloc, it “would not be possible” to ratify the agreement for now.
Valérie Hayer, leader of the Renew Europe parliamentary group, had also said this Monday that this decision would be “an extremely powerful lever”.
“I don’t think companies will agree to give up the European market,” Hayer said.
The agreement between the European Union and the USA provided for the application of 15% tariffs on exports of products from the bloc to the USA – with the exception of products such as cork, aviation parts and components, as well as medicines and their ingredients -, but the exemption from tariffs on American exports to Europe.
The understanding also provided for the purchase of more than 600 billion euros in American energy by the European Union, and further investments for a combined higher value of more than 500 billion euros. If the document is not ratified, all these agreements will not enter into force.
Despite the broad consensus, even on the part of Patriots for Europe, which includes Rassemblement National, Chega and Vox, among others, the group of Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) disagrees with non-ratification. “We think it is a mistake,” said the group’s co-president, Nicola Procaccini, quoted by Le Monde.
