Overview

• Brussels formally proposed eliminating duties on U.S. industrial goods and offering limited concessions on seafood and select farm products, a step tied to lowering U.S. tariffs on EU cars from 27.5% to 15% with retroactive effect to Aug. 1 once enacted.
• The European Commission said it would bypass a standard impact assessment to accelerate adoption, with final sign-off required from a majority of member states and the European Parliament.
• The framework leaves key details open, with the U.S. maintaining a 15% baseline tariff on most EU goods and high Section 232 duties on metals, while rates for sectors such as wine and spirits remain unspecified and beef and poultry are excluded from EU concessions.
• Industry and political reactions are mixed, as Germany’s DIHK urges tougher EU safeguards and greater clarity, farm groups criticize limited gains, and parliamentary leaders signal divisions over scope and duration.
• Logistics firms expect steadier trans-Atlantic flows once rules settle, though auto shipments remain pressured until car duties fall, and consumer groups flag mutual-recognition language on vehicle standards even as sweeping regulatory changes appear unlikely in the near term.