PES criticises EU-US trade deal: “A deal that risks being weak, imposes unfair tariffs, and offers little in return,” says Stefan Löfven

The Party of European Socialists (PES) expresses deep concern about the EU-US trade agreement presented as a breakthrough, yet which fails to deliver on Europe's long-term interests.

The PES warns that the agreement risks undermining the EU's strategic autonomy ambitions at a time when the world expects more leadership from Europe, not less. Average tariffs on key European exports, which were previously around 3%, will now rise to 15%, five times higher than before. Is this the result we were aiming for? What signal does it send to our industries, and to our global partners?

While some argue the agreement brings predictability, it brings little fairness. There is no substantial progress on steel or pharmaceuticals, and the list of zero-tariff products remains narrow. How sustainable is this imbalance? And what kind of precedent are we setting for future negotiations, especially with partners that may be even less predictable?
Stefan Löfven, President of the Party of European Socialists, said:

"By giving up our strongest cards early, especially with our Member States missing the link between NATO and trade, the Commission entered the negotiations from a position of weakness. The result risks being a weak deal that imposes unfair tariffs and offers little in return. Is this the vision of Europe we want to defend on the global stage?"

The PES doubts that what happened can be presented as a success story and is concerned that Europeans may not be enthusiastic about a deal that may weaken our autonomy and limit our capacity to act.

Europe should not be turning inward or retreating in silence. Instead, we must strengthen our cooperation with global partners, from Japan to Mercosur, from Africa to the Indo-Pacific. Only through alliances, consistency and unity can we promote fair, rules-based trade that supports our industries and our democratic values.

Europe must do better and show that unity and ambition are not optional, but essential to defend our place in the world.