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\n 31\/07\/2025 – 16:22 GMT+2\n <\/p>\n
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A few days after the political agreement struck between the EU and the US, the European Commission is still awaiting executive orders from Washington setting in concrete the deal agreed by handshake by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and President Donald Trump\u00a0\u2014 which would spare Europeans from higher tariffs.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is the clear understanding of the EU that the US will implement the agreed across-the-board tariff ceiling of 15%. It is also our clear understanding that the US will implement the exemptions to the 15% ceiling as outlined by President von der Leyen last Sunday,\u201d Commission spokesperson Olof Gill said on Thursday.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe US has made these commitments. Now it’s up to the US to implement them. The ball is in their court,\u201d he added.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Commission expects the White House to issue executive orders before 1 August replacing the current tariffs \u2014 25% on EU cars and 10% on all EU imports \u2014 with the 15% rate agreed on 27 July. This would provide relief to a strategic sector like the automotive industry and avoid the 20% so-called \u201creciprocal\u201d tariffs Trump had threatened to apply at the beginning of April.<\/p>\n
However, the US tariffs of 50% on steel and aluminium are expected to remain in place, as this strategic sector is still under negotiation, with the EU hoping to obtain a quota system with lower tariffs.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don’t expect this new quota system to be in place by tomorrow,\u201d Gill said, \u201cwe’re working on it and our intention is to have something ready and workable as soon as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Joint statement<\/p>\n
Among the exemptions, the EU has secured 0% rate for aircraft. Von der Leyen on Sunday also announced that zero-for-zero tariffs will apply to certain chemicals, generic drugs, semiconductor-making equipment, some agricultural products, some natural resources and critical raw materials.<\/p>\n
It remains to be seen whether all the products will be covered by the executive orders. The Commission said however on Thursday that wine and spirits will not be among the exemptions<\/a>, negotiation on this strategic sector being still ongoing.<\/p>\n