The United States and the European Union (EU) have agreed to a trade deal that imposes a reciprocal tariff of 15% on EU goods imported into the U.S. The EU is said to have promised large-scale investments in the U.S. in exchange for a reduction in tariff rates.
According to foreign media including AFP on the 27th (local time), the U.S. and the EU reached a final agreement to impose a tariff of 15% on EU goods just four days before the negotiation deadline. On the same day, during a meeting in Scotland with Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, U.S. President Donald Trump said, "The EU has enjoyed a huge surplus in trade with the U.S. and can no longer tolerate such imbalances," adding that they reached an agreement on a "trade agreement framework" that includes the purchase of U.S. energy and the expansion of investments in the U.S.
Under this agreement, a tariff of 15% will be imposed on EU cars. Currently, a tariff of 25% is applied to all products, including those from the EU.
For "strategic items" such as aircraft, a reciprocal zero tariff has been agreed upon. von der Leyen stated, "A zero tariff will apply to aircraft and related parts, specific chemical products, certain agricultural products, natural resources, and key raw materials."
However, there were reports of conflicting statements regarding specific items. President Trump noted that a 15% tariff would not be applied to pharmaceuticals, steel, and aluminum, while von der Leyen remarked that a uniform tariff of 15% would be applied to most areas, including automobiles, semiconductors, and pharmaceuticals, highlighting their differences in opinion.
The U.S. government had previously declared its intention to impose tariffs on pharmaceuticals and semiconductors, as well as steel and aluminum, which are currently subject to a 50% tariff.
Meanwhile, the EU has promised to purchase U.S. energy and make additional investments in the U.S. in exchange for reducing the previously anticipated 30% tariff rate to 15%. According to President Trump, the EU has decided to purchase $750 billion (about 1,038 trillion won) worth of U.S. energy and to make investments in the U.S. totaling $600 billion (about 830.7 trillion won), while also committing to purchasing U.S. military equipment.
The EU side believes it has avoided the worst collision so far. President Trump expressed satisfaction, stating, "This is the largest transaction we've ever had," while von der Leyen also remarked that "this agreement will bring stability."
However, evaluations suggest that the details of the negotiations have not been disclosed, and the situation needs to be monitored. von der Leyen stated, "The decision on whether to exempt tariffs on wine and distilled spirits has not yet been made," adding, "This needs to be resolved in a few days."
The New York Times (NYT) evaluated that "if no additional exemption negotiations take place, the agreement will fall far short of what member countries had expected."