EU Parliament delays US trade deal amid Trump’s Greenland tariff threats
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "EU Parliament delays US trade deal amid Trump’s Greenland tariff threats")
Donald Trump Photograph: (AFP/WION)
EU lawmakers delay a US trade deal after Trump’s Greenland tariff threats, signaling possible retaliation and escalating transatlantic trade tensions
EU lawmakers have decided to postpone ratifying a major trade agreement with the United States after President Donald Trump threatened tariffs linked to demands over Greenland. The move by the European Parliament signals growing frustration within the 27-nation bloc as it debates how strongly to respond if Washington escalates action against long-time allies. A vote had been expected soon on scrapping tariffs on U.S. industrial goods under a deal struck in July.
While the delay does not cancel the agreement, it sends a clear warning to the White House. EU officials believe freezing approval could pressure US companies that rely heavily on access to the European market. Renew Europe leader Valerie Hayer said the tactic was a powerful bargaining tool, noting that American firms would be reluctant to lose business in Europe.
Trump has warned of new tariffs on six EU countries, including France and Germany, after they rejected his push related to Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark. EU leaders are scheduled to meet in Brussels for an emergency summit to discuss the situation. Possible countermeasures include suspending the trade deal entirely and imposing up to €93 billion in retaliatory tariffs on US goods. That tariff package was agreed during last year’s trade dispute but put on hold until February 6 to prevent a full-scale trade war. France is also urging the EU to consider deploying its anti-coercion trade mechanism if US threats materialise.
Greenland, threatened by Trump: Minister
Greenland’s government on Wednesday (January 21) released a new brochure outlining guidance for residents in the event of a potential “crisis” affecting the territory, which US President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he wants to take over from Denmark, a longstanding ally. Self-Sufficiency Minister Peter Borg described the document as “an insurance policy” during a press conference in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital. His remarks came shortly after Trump renewed calls for “immediate” discussions about US control of Greenland, while insisting he would not resort to military force to acquire the island.
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“We do not anticipate that it will ever be needed,” Borg said, stressing that the brochure is intended as a precaution rather than a response to an imminent threat.
