EU and US Implement Trade Deal to Eliminate Industrial Duties

The EU-US trade deal agreed last year has been formally implemented, eliminating all duties on US industrial goods and improving market access for select US agricultural products as of July 1, 2026, while the United States maintains a 15% tariff cap on most European exports. This agreement, reached between President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in July 2025, successfully averted a potential 30% reciprocal tariff on EU goods and prevented EU countermeasures targeting billions in US exports. Although the deal restores stability and cuts approximately €5 billion in annual duties for EU importers, broader tariff tensions persist as many EU exports still face the 15% US rate, and certain sectors like metals remain subject to higher tariffs outside the cap. The implementation marks a critical step in transatlantic trade relations, protecting core EU industrial sensitivities while reducing costs for consumers, even as both sides continue to negotiate broader trade frameworks.