The European Parliament has suspended its approval of a landmark trade and tariff deal with the United States, citing “continued and escalating threats” from US President Donald Trump, including his plan to annex Greenland. The deal, signed last July, caps tariffs on most EU goods entering the US at 15% in exchange for the EU eliminating tariffs on certain American imports and investing in the US.
Bernd Lange, head of the parliament’s international trade committee, stated that the EU has been left with no alternative but to suspend work on the deal due to the threats against Greenland and Denmark. “Our sovereignty and territorial integrity are at stake,” he said. The move comes after Trump announced an additional 10% tariff on eight European NATO countries opposing his planned takeover of Greenland, with the penalty set to increase to 25% if a deal is not reached by June.
The dispute between Washington and Brussels over Greenland has thrown the ratification of the trade deal into uncertainty. Denmark has repeatedly stated that it will not relinquish control of Greenland, but Trump has promised to seize the island “the easy way” or “the hard way.” The US president has described Greenland as “our territory” and demanded that Denmark enter “immediate negotiations” to hand it over to Washington.
The trade deal was widely seen as favoring the US, and European lawmakers were preparing to vote on amendments to the agreement. However, the recent developments have created uncertainty over the deal’s future. The European Parliament’s decision to suspend its approval highlights the growing tensions between the US and the EU, with the EU prioritizing its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The situation is being closely monitored, with the EU and US having significant trade and economic ties. The US is one of the EU’s largest trading partners, and any disruption to trade relations could have far-reaching consequences. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the EU and US will navigate their differences and find a resolution to the dispute over Greenland.
