US president Donald Trump has agreed to postpone a planned tariff increase on European Union goods until 9 July, following a call with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.
Trump had threatened to impose 50 per cent tariffs on almost all EU imports from 1 June. But in a post on his Truth Social platform, he confirmed a temporary pause after what he described as a “very nice call” with Von der Leyen. “I agreed to the extension – it was my privilege to do so,” he wrote. He said talks would begin very soon.
Von der Leyen welcomed the delay, writing on X that Europe was “ready to advance talks swiftly and decisively”, but stressed the need for more time to secure a deal.
The EU had earlier paused its retaliatory measures on US tariffs. Since mid-March, the Trump administration has imposed tariffs of 25 per cent on vehicles, 25 per cent on steel and aluminium and 10 per cent on a wide range of other goods.
Ahead of Trump’s decision, Flemish minister-president Matthias Diependaele responded cautiously to the tariff threat. “The Commission must lead negotiations and seek a balanced solution,” he told Het Laatste Nieuws. “If that fails, we must consider countermeasures. This benefits no one – I hope he reconsiders.”
The EU is one of America’s largest trading partners, with bilateral trade exceeding 970 billion dollars in 2024. A new deal now hinges on rapid progress in the coming weeks.
