President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have finalized a wide-reaching trade agreement between the United States and the European Union following challenging negotiations. The deal was announced on Sunday shortly after both leaders spoke to the media in Scotland, initially expressing uncertainty about reaching an agreement.
Trump revealed that both sides agreed on a flat 15% tariff for automobiles and related goods. He said the EU will now open its markets to more American products, particularly in agriculture, which he claimed had previously been restricted. The president emphasized that the agreement represents a shift toward more balanced trade, calling prior arrangements unfair to the United States.
Von der Leyen confirmed that Europe will purchase $150 billion worth of U.S. energy and make an additional $600 billion in investments in the U.S. economy. She acknowledged the effort required to reach the deal, describing the discussions as involving significant “heavy lifting,” but ultimately expressed satisfaction with the outcome.
Before the announcement, both leaders had seemed cautious, with Trump stating talks had been good but previously one-sided in favor of the EU. Von der Leyen agreed, noting the need to correct the trade imbalance. She referred to the new agreement as a form of fairness, stressing the importance of rebalancing economic relations between the two sides.