Overview

• President Trump ordered a 30 percent duty on most EU goods effective August 1, explicitly excluding autos, auto parts, steel and aluminium from the new levy
• The European Commission delayed its €21 billion package of counter-tariffs to early August, signalling readiness to negotiate an accord before taking action
• Ursula von der Leyen confirmed the EU will pursue a deal through the end of July while Emmanuel Macron and German ministers mobilise contingency measures if no fair agreement materialises
• The White House warned it could raise duties further should the EU proceed with its own tariffs, intensifying leverage in the transatlantic dispute
• EU–US trade represents nearly 30 percent of global commerce and 43 percent of world GDP, underscoring the high economic stakes of any escalation