https://harici.com.tr/ab-ve-abd-ticaret-anlasmasinin-cercevesi-uzerinde-anlasti/
EU and USA agreed on the 'framet' of the trade agreemen
The EU and the U.S. on Thursday announced a new trade agreement framework that limits U.S. tariffs on European goods to 15%, provides exemptions for key industries, and includes commitments on energy, digital trade and supply chain security.
The joint statement issued after months of negotiations is the first significant trade statement made by US President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen since Trump met at the private golf course in Scotland in July.
EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, who led the talks, described the agreement as a "first step" that could be expanded to include more sectors.
In a statement to journalists in Brussels, he said, "The agreement brings stability and predictability to our relations. These two elements are very important," Šefčovič said, adding that the Commission wants the legislative process to progress within this month so that the auto industry can retroactively benefit from the customs duty limitation as of August 1.
The joint statement stated that both sides are committed to reducing barriers, strengthening supply chains and creating equal conditions for businesses.
The agreement aims to provide a basis for further negotiations on market access, regulatory cooperation and dispute resolution.
The framework agreement will grant exemptions for aircraft parts, generic drugs and chemical precursors, while customs duties imposed on automobiles and auto parts will be reduced.
Both sides have pledged to cooperate on overcapacity in the steel and aluminum sectors.
Šefčovič said the deal is "the most advantageous trade agreement that the United States has with any partner". This statement led to comparisons with the UK, which accepted the 10% basic tariff, which was much criticized in its agreement with Washington earlier this year.
"I wouldn't even call it a trade agreement... The outlines are still there," Swedish Trade Minister Benjamin Dousa said.
A senior official from the Commission defended the agreement, citing the EU's future exemption from U.S. tariffs on pharmaceutical products, and stated that the EU's 15% rate would also cover current tariffs.
US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick praised the framework agreement on social media, citing Europe's commitment to invest hundreds of billions of euros in US energy and infrastructure.
On the EU side, Anna Cavazzini, President of the Internal Market Committee of the European Parliament, harshly criticized the agreement as “proof that blackmail tactics worked”.
Cavazzini said in a statement that the agreement means "final surrender to Trump" and weakens the global trade order.
German socialist Bernd Lange, Chairman of the Parliamentary Trade Committee, also agreed with this view, arguing that the agreement does not provide sustainable security or stable economic relations for investments.
“In total – 50% in steel and aluminum and 15% in almost all other products – this gives the U.S. a clear competitive advantage that will hit the European economy hard,” Lange said.
Despite Thursday's breakthrough, authorities warned that this was just the beginning. “This is not the end, but the beginning,” Šefčovič said, stressing that more extensive negotiations on regulatory cooperation and dispute resolution are still ahead of them.