EU and the European Union achieve historical agreement: redefines access to cars, energy and semiconductors

What implies the agreement between the US and the European Union?

It implies that Washington imposes a fixed 15% tariff on the products imported from the European Union. The joint declaration establishes the commitment of both parties of “working to restore the stability and predictability of trade and investment between EU and EU, for the benefit of companies and citizens.”

The signatories consider that it is the first step of a process that will increase trade and improve market access in other sectors. The text is the result of “intense negotiations” led by the EU Commission of Commerce, Maroš šefčovič, with his American counterparts, the Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and the US commercial representative, Jamieson Greer.

The agreement establishes “zero tariffs” for certain products, European strategic purchases valued at 750,000 million dollars that would include gas, oil, nuclear energy either Artificial Intelligence Chips; In addition to a series of investments in the US economy of 600,000 million and an increase in acquisitions of military material to the country. American products will enter the European market without paying tariffs (until now they paid average rates below 3%).

The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyensays in a statement that the European Union will always seek “the best results” for its citizens and companies.

“Faced with a difficult situation, we have complied with our member states and the industry, and we have restored the clarity and coherence of transatlantic trade,” he has settled, after making it clear that this is not the end of the process.

“We continue to collaborate with the US to agree more tariff reductions, identify more cooperation areas and generate greater economic growth potential,” he added to also point out that the block continues to diversify its international commercial alliances.

The United States undertakes to apply the most favored American nation tariff (NMF) or a 15%tariff, composed of the NMF tariff and a reciprocal tariff, to the original products of the European Union, which is greater.

Products with tariff limit

In addition, as of September 1, 2025, the United States undertakes to apply only the NMF tariff to the following European Union products: natural resources not available (including cork), all aircraft and their components, generic pharmaceutical products and their ingredients, and chemical precursors. The United States and the European Union agree to consider other important sectors and products for their economies and value chains for inclusion in the list of products to which only NMF tariffs would apply.

EU is intended to promptly guarantee that the tariff rate on pharmaceutical products, semiconductors and wood does not exceed 15%.

When the European Union formally present the legislative proposal necessary to promulgate the tariff reductions established in Section 1 of this Framework Agreement, the United States will reduce tariffs on cars and auto parts from the European Union

With respect to steel, aluminum and its derived products, the European Union and the United States intend to consider the possibility of cooperating to protect their respective internal markets from excess capacity, at the same time guaranteeing the safety of supply chains between them, even through tariff contingent solutions. However, so far They are not contemplated within the 15% tariff

Energy sector

Both powers seek to guarantee a safe, reliable and diversified energy supply.

“As part of this effort, the European Union intends to acquire Natural Gas, oil and American nuclear energy products, with an expected consumption of 750,000 million dollars until 2028. In addition, the European Union intends to buy US artificial intelligence chips for a minimum value of 40,000 million dollars for its computer centers,” details the joint declaration on a European United States reciprocal, fair and balanced