EU lawmakers say will freeze US trade deal after Supreme Court ruling

BRUSSELS: EU lawmakers said on Monday they would put on hold a key trade deal with the United States after a Supreme Court ruling struck down many of President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

European Parliament negotiators will meet on Monday afternoon to formally agree to freeze plans to approve the deal agreed last year.

The parliament’s trade committee had been due to give its green light on Tuesday to remove tariffs on US industrial goods as part of the accord.

But lawmakers from different parliamentary groups said they supported putting the deal on ice until there is more clarity on what the US ruling means for the EU.

Trade committee chief Bernd Lange convened the urgent meeting of the negotiators and said on Sunday he would propose pausing legislative work.

He was supported by the EPP, the biggest parliamentary grouping, as well as other blocs.

READ MORE: EU ‘expects’ US to honour trade deal as Trump hikes tariffs

EPP MEP Zeljana Zovko told AFP she supported putting work on hold until the European Commission clarifies with Washington what the conditions for the EU are and explain what is the “better option for us to continue with”.

Green MEP Anna Cavazzini said she supported pausing the vote until there was more clarity.

Trump temporarily raised the global duty on imports into the United States to 15% at the weekend, after which the EU called on him to abide by the deal.

Under that agreement, Washington agreed a blanket 15% tariff on most EU goods but his global duty could see EU goods face higher duties.

“We will not be able to vote on the Turnberry agreement until we have full clarity on how the Supreme Court’s ruling affects the tariff arrangement,” EU lawmaker for liberal Renew group Karin Karlsbro said, referring to the deal.

“The United States must get its trade policy in order, this level of chaos is not serious,” she added.