EU Trade Official Says 15 Percent US Tariffs Not Halting Transatlantic Commerce

U.S. tariffs of 15% on imports from the European Union are not stopping trade between the two regions, according to a senior official from the European Commission. Speaking at a European Parliament hearing in Brussels on Wednesday, Sabine Weyand, director-general of the EU executive’s trade division, said that while tariffs can reach a level where they become prohibitive, the current 15% rate is not at that point. She emphasized that what matters most is how the U.S. tariff on EU goods compares to those imposed on other trading partners.

Weyand was part of the EU team that negotiated a framework agreement with the Trump administration at the end of July. She urged lawmakers to support the EU’s plan to remove its own duties on U.S. industrial products as part of fulfilling its side of the deal. According to Weyand, data from the second quarter of this year showed that transatlantic trade between the EU and U.S. remained steady and even increased in some sectors, except for automobiles, which now face a higher 27.5% tariff.

Before August 1, U.S. imports from the EU were subject to a general 10% tariff plus an average 4.8% in pre-existing most favored nation (MFN) duties. Under the new agreement, the EU is now the only trading partner facing a flat 15% tariff on its goods entering the U.S., with no additional MFN rates applied. This new rate will also apply to cars imported from the EU.

Weyand told members of parliament that this agreement was the best option available, noting that President Trump had previously threatened tariffs as high as 30% on EU goods. She explained that while many would prefer a return to trading under MFN duties alone, this is no longer possible with current U.S. policy.

Weyand also pointed out that the U.S. will not be able to produce all of the products it has made more expensive to import through these tariffs, suggesting continued demand for European goods despite higher costs. She stressed that EU competitiveness will depend on how U.S. tariffs on European products compare with those imposed on other countries.

The 27-nation European Union continues to monitor trade flows closely as it adapts to changing U.S. trade policies and seeks to maintain stable economic relations across the Atlantic.