BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union will suspend retaliatory tariffs on US goods, which will come into effect Monday, in hopes of reaching a trade deal with the Trump administration by the end of the month.
“This is now time for negotiations,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told reporters in Brussels on Sunday.
The EU – America’s biggest trading partner and the world’s largest trading bloc – was scheduled to impose “counter-mysus” from midnight Brussels time (6pm EDT; 22:00 GMT) on Monday. The EU is negotiating trade transactions on behalf of 27 member states.
Von Der Leyen said these measures were delayed until August 1, and Trump’s letters show “” until negotiations “until August 1.”
“It’s always clear that you prefer a negotiated solution,” she said. If they can’t reach the deal, she said, “We’re fully prepared, so we’ll continue to prepare measures.”
Europe’s largest exports to the United States are pharmaceuticals, automobiles, aircraft, chemicals, medical devices, wine and spirit.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani headed to Washington on Monday for consultations between the US administration and Congress. In a statement, Tajani’s office said that in meetings with EU allies before the meeting, it emphasized the need to “negotiate with your head high.”
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the only EU leader to attend Trump’s inauguration, sought to establish himself as the “bridge” between Brussels and Washington.
Trump said his global tariffs would set the foundation for reviving the US economy, which he claims has been torn apart by other countries for decades. In his letter to the EU, Trump said the US trade deficit poses a threat to national security.
US trading partners and companies around the world, from French winemakers to German automakers, face months of uncertainty and on-off threats from Trump, with deadlines being extended or changed. Tariffs can affect almost every aspect of the global economy.
According to Eurostat, the value of the EU-US trade in goods and services reached 1.7 trillion euros ($2 trillion) in 2024, or an average of 4.6 billion euros per day.
Trade ministers from EU countries are scheduled to meet on Monday to discuss trade relations, as are the US and China.
Along with Indonesian President Prabou Suboant, von der Leyen said trade tensions with the US “indicating the importance of diversifying our trade ties.” Announcing close cooperation between the EU and Indonesia, she “emphasized that the need for a ‘predictable’ trading partnership is based on ‘trust’.
The Indonesian leader said, “I think the United States will always be a very important leader in the world,” but emphasized the need for multilateral relations, adding that he “want to see a very strong Europe.”
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Nicole Winfield, the Associated Press Writer in Rome, contributed to this report.
Original issue: July 13th, 2025 8:21am EDT
