Efforts to resolve the ongoing tariff dispute between the United States and the European Union are set to advance as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and U.S. President Donald Trump express readiness to meet at an opportune moment. This development comes amid ongoing negotiations to address the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, which have been a point of contention for both sides.
The commitment to meet was established during a brief interaction at the funeral of Pope Francis. This meeting broke a prolonged silence that had concerned Brussels and EU member states, leaving crucial discussions to lower-ranking officials. Prior to this encounter, von der Leyen had not engaged directly with Trump since his return to the White House, although Trump has welcomed other EU leaders, such as Italy’s Giorgia Meloni and Ireland’s Micheál Martin, to the Oval Office.
According to Paula Pinho, the Commission’s chief spokesperson, no specific date has been set for the meeting. The timing will depend on when a comprehensive package addressing various issues, primarily tariffs, is ready for agreement by both leaders. The aim is to advance technical talks into a concrete agreement that can be presented to von der Leyen and Trump for approval.
The tariffs in question have been significant, with the EU facing a 20% rate on all goods, a measure criticized by Brussels as unjustified. Additionally, the U.S. has imposed a 25% duty on imports of steel, aluminum, and vehicles, with potential extensions to semiconductors and pharmaceuticals. Following economic pressures, including a stock market crash and a rise in U.S. bond yields, Trump temporarily reduced the 20% levy to 10% and agreed to a 90-day suspension of these tariffs. In response, von der Leyen delayed EU countermeasures targeting American products.
Despite efforts to maintain dialogue with the White House, the European Commission remains uncertain about Trump’s ultimate objectives and potential concessions. Trump appears to be balancing goals of rebalancing trade relations, generating revenue through duties, and promoting U.S. re-industrialization.
The White House has also insisted that “non-tariff barriers,” such as value-added tax (VAT), food safety standards, and Big Tech regulations, be part of the discussions. However, Brussels argues that these issues are unrelated to trade flows and should be excluded from any agreement. The idea of decoupling the EU from China to gain favor with Trump has been dismissed.
U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent described the situation as “strategic uncertainty,” urging countries to remove all trade barriers. He emphasized the leverage created by high tariffs, suggesting that nations should eliminate tariffs and non-tariff barriers to facilitate negotiations.
