European Union Reacts to US Trade Deal With Relief, Criticism

The deal was struck days before the Aug. 1 deadline, after which nearly all EU imports would have been hit with 30 percent levies.

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen speaks after the 25th EU–China summit in Beijing on July 24, 2025. Adek Berry/AFP via Getty Images

Senior figures in the European Union have reacted with a combination of relief and criticism to the new trade deal with the United States.

Immediately following the announcement on July 27, the European Commission released an official statement on behalf of the commission’s president, Ursula von der Leyen, in which she said the deal created certainty, stability, and predictability in uncertain times for businesses and citizens “on both sides of the Atlantic.”