KABUL: The European Parliament has decided to temporarily suspend work on the trade agreement with the United States. The decision comes after U.S. President Donald Trump’s request to acquire Greenland and threats to impose tariffs on several European allies. The European Parliament had been discussing legal proposals to reduce import tariffs on various U.S. goods, a key part of the trade agreement finalized in late July in Turnberry, Scotland. Among these proposals is the continuation of a zero tariff on U.S. lobster, which was accepted by Trump for the first time in 2020. These proposals require approval from both the European Parliament and the governments of EU member states. However, some European lawmakers argue that the agreement is one-sided, as the EU predominantly lowers import taxes while the U.S. maintains a broad tariff rate of 15%. Nonetheless, some members had previously shown willingness to accept the agreement after certain conditions were met, such as setting an 18-month validity period and incorporating response measures against potential increases in U.S. imports. The European Parliament’s Trade Committee was scheduled to vote on the issue on January 26 and 27, but this vote has now been postponed until further notice.
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