EU Backs Deep Tariff Cuts for American Goods

The European Council has signed off on plans to eliminate industrial tariffs and extend duty-free access for American agricultural goods.

European Union flags flutter outside the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on July 16, 2025. Yves Herman /Reuters

European Union (EU) countries have endorsed sweeping tariff cuts for American farm and manufactured products, adopting negotiating mandates that move the bloc closer to eliminating all remaining duties on U.S. industrial goods and opening new preferential access for a broad range of American agricultural exports.

The decision by the European Council, announced on Nov. 28, clears the way for talks with the European Parliament on two regulations that implement the tariff elements of the Aug. 21 EU–U.S. Joint Statement—an accord that aims to stabilize transatlantic trade ties, reduce tensions, and rebalance two-way commerce amid lingering disputes over metals, tariffs, and digital-sector rules.