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Your support makes all the difference.<\/strong>Read more<\/p>\n The United States and the European Union agreed on Sunday to a trade framework setting a 15% tariff on most goods, staving off \u2014 at least for now \u2014 far higher imports on both sides that might have sent shockwaves through economies around the globe. <\/p>\n The sweeping announcement came after President Donald Trump<\/a> and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen<\/a> met briefly at Trump’s Turnberry<\/a> golf course in Scotland. Their private sit-down culminated months of bargaining, with the White House deadline Friday nearing for imposing punishing tariffs on the EU’s 27-member countries.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a very interesting negotiation. I think it\u2019s going to be great for both parties,\u201d Trump said. The agreement, he said, was \u201ca good deal for everybody\u201d and \u201ca giant deal with lots of countries.\u201d<\/p>\n Von der Leyen said the deal \u201cwill bring stability, it will bring predictability, that\u2019s very important for our businesses on both sides of the Atlantic.\u201d <\/p>\n Many facets will require more work <\/p>\n As with other, recent tariff agreements that Trump announced with countries including Japan and the United Kingdom, some major details remain pending in this one. <\/p>\n Trump said the EU had agreed to buy some $750 billion worth of U.S. energy and invest $600 billion more than it already is in America \u2014 as well as make a major military equipment purchase. He said tariffs \u201cfor automobiles and everything else will be a straight across tariff of 15%\u201d and meant that U.S. exporters \u201dhave the opening up of all of the European countries.\u201d<\/p>\n Von der Leyen said the 15% tariffs were \u201cacross the board, all inclusive\u201d and that \u201cindeed, basically the European market is open.\u201d<\/p>\n At a later news conference away from Turnberry, she said that the $750 billion in additional U.S. energy purchases was actually over the next three years \u2014 and would help ease the dependance on natural gas from Russia among the bloc\u2019s countries. <\/p>\n \u201cWhen the European union and the United States work together as partners, the benefits are tangible,\u201d Von der Leyen said, noting that the agreement \u201cstabilized on a single, 15% tariff rate for the vast majority of EU exports” including cars, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals.<\/p>\n \u201c15% is a clear ceiling,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n But von der Leyen also clarified that such a rate wouldn\u2019t apply to everything, saying that both sides agreed on \u201czero for zero tariffs on a number of strategic products,\u201d like all aircraft and component parts, certain chemicals, certain generic drugs, semiconductor equipment, some agricultural products, natural resources and critical raw materials. <\/p>\n It is unclear if alcohol will be included in that list.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd we will keep working to add more products to this list,\u201d she said, while also stressing that the \u201cframework means the figures we have just explained to the public, but, of course, details have to be sorted out. And that will happen over the next weeks\u201d<\/p>\n Further EU approval needed <\/p>\n In the meantime, there will be work to do on other fronts. Von der Leyen had a mandate to negotiate because the European Commission handles trade for member countries. But the Commission should now present the deal to member states and EU lawmakers \u2014 who will ultimately decide whether or not to approve it.<\/p>\n Before their meeting began, Trump pledged to change what he characterized as \u201ca very one-sided transaction, very unfair to the United States.\u201d <\/p>\n “I think both sides want to see fairness,\u201d the Republican president told reporters. <\/p>\n Von der Leyen said the U.S. and EU combined have the world’s largest trade volume, encompassing hundreds of millions of people and trillions of dollars and added that Trump was \u201cknown as a tough negotiator and dealmaker.” <\/p>\n \u201cBut fair,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n Trump has spent months threatening most of the world with large tariffs in hopes of shrinking major U.S. trade deficits with many key trading partners. More recently, he had hinted that any deal with the EU would have to \u201cbuy down\u201d a tariff rate of 30% that had been set to take effect. <\/p>\n But during his comments before the agreement was announced, the president was sked if he’d be willing to accept tariff rates lower than 15%, and said \u201cno.\u201d <\/p>\n First golf, then trade talk <\/p>\n Their meeting came after Trump played golf for the second straight day at Turnberry, this time with a group that included sons Eric and Donald Jr. In addition to negotiating deals, Trump’s five-day visit to Scotland is built around golf and promoting properties bearing his name. <\/p>\n A small group of demonstrators at the course waved American flags and raised a sign criticizing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who plans his own Turnberry meeting with Trump on Monday. <\/p>\n Other voices could be heard cheering and chanting \u201cTrump! Trump!\u201d as he played nearby. <\/p>\n On Tuesday, Trump will be in Aberdeen, in northeastern Scotland, where his family has another golf course and is opening a third next month. The president and his sons plan to help cut the ribbon on the new course.<\/p>\n The U.S. and EU seemed close to a deal earlier this month, but Trump instead threatened the 30% tariff rate. The deadline for the Trump administration to begin imposing tariffs has shifted in recent weeks but is now firm and coming Friday, the administration insists. <\/p>\n