'Nobody can pressure me,' European Parliament trade chief tells Euronews

Euronews · Feb 26, 2026 · Collected from RSS

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Published on 26/02/2026 - 9:24 GMT+1•Updated 10:47 German MEP Bernd Lange (S&D) made clear Thursday he would not bow to pressure to salvage the EU-US trade deal, arguing Washington has already broken it following last week’s Supreme Court ruling and President Donald Trump’s fresh tariff salvo. “Nobody can pressure me. I'm a European Parliament representative and the representative of the people,” Lange told Euronews' flagship morning show Europe Today. “For us it's crystal clear that the US really is breaking the deal,” he added. “If in the next week nothing happen, then we have to reflect about countermeasures, counter tariffs for example.” His remarks put him at odds with European Commissioner for Trade Maroš Šefčovič, who this week urged lawmakers to press ahead with the pact struck in July 2025 in Scotland by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Trump. The agreement set 15% US tariffs on EU goods, while the bloc committed to cut its own to zero. 'The break is really on the side of the US' That fragile truce is now under strain. Despite the deal, new 10% US tariffs took effect on Tuesday, prompting MEPs to suspend the agreement on Monday. While the Commission is seeking clarification from Washington, it still expects lawmakers to move forward with legislation in March to scrap EU tariffs as foreseen in the deal. Lange, however, says this marks the third breach by the US and argues the pact should be halted to restore certainty for European businesses. “The break is really on the side of the US and this has to be stopped, otherwise we have uncertainty,” he said. “I speak to US Ambassador Jamieson Greer, the US trade representative, of course we have a good relationship, we can talk and I can trust him,” Lange added. “But the situation and the decision-making in the US is not based on a democratic process. At the end of the day, the president is deciding alone, and this is not a stable situation.” European lawmakers had already frozen the deal once after Trump threatened tariffs on EU countries that would not allow him to acquire Greenland. The European Parliament later inserted safeguards allowing the agreement to be suspended in case of new territorial threats and to lapse in March 2028 if not renewed. Lange said work would resume only once the US lifts its new tariffs on the EU and removes the 50% duties imposed on more than 400 aluminium and steel derivatives in breach of the Turnberry agreement.