EU Trade Chair Says U.S. Tariff Move on European Cars Undermines Reliability of Partnership

Bernd Lange, chair of the European Parliament's trade committee, criticized U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to raise tariffs on EU car imports, saying the action demonstrates that the United States cannot be relied upon as a trading partner. Lange described the move as unacceptable and pointed to previous breaches of a framework trade agreement that had set a 15% import tariff on most EU goods and helped prevent a larger trade confrontation. He highlighted that over 400 products containing steel and aluminium now carry an average tariff of 26 percent.

Key Points

EU trade committee chair Bernd Lange says the U.S. decision to raise tariffs on EU cars demonstrates U.S. unreliability as a trading partner.
Lange called the U.S. action "unacceptable" and stressed the EU must respond with clarity and firmness, relying on its negotiating position.
The EU has been honoring a framework deal struck with the U.S. in Scotland last year that imposed a 15% import tariff on most EU goods; Lange says the U.S. repeatedly breached this agreement, for example with over 400 steel- and aluminium-containing products now subject to an average tariff of 26 percent.

BRUSSELS, May 1 - U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement to raise tariffs on cars imported from the European Union was condemned by Bernd Lange, the chair of the European Parliament’s trade committee, who said the step exposed the United States as an unreliable trading partner.

"This latest move demonstrates just how unreliable the U.S. side is," Lange said on Friday, framing the tariff increase as a breach of trust between close partners. He added, "This is no way to treat close partners. Now we can only respond with the utmost clarity and firmness, drawing on the strength of our position."

Lange described the U.S. action as "unacceptable" and pointed to an existing framework trade arrangement the EU has been observing. That agreement, he said, was reached with the United States in Scotland last year and set a 15% import tariff on most EU goods, a measure that Lange characterized as having averted a larger trade war.

However, Lange said the United States had repeatedly violated the terms of that framework. He cited, by way of example, a group of more than 400 products containing steel and aluminium that are now subject to an average tariff of 26 percent, which he presented as evidence of the U.S. side's failure to adhere to the agreement.

In his remarks, Lange emphasized the need for the EU to respond in a measured but firm manner, invoking the bloc's negotiating position as the basis for any countermeasures. He did not outline specific steps the EU would take, instead stressing clarity and firmness as guiding principles for the response.

The comments come amid renewed tensions over trade policy between the two sides, with the recent decision on auto tariffs forming the immediate catalyst for Lange's criticism.

Context and implications

Lange's statements center on three core points: the tariff increase on EU autos, the perceived inconsistency of U.S. trade commitments, and prior actions affecting hundreds of steel- and aluminium-containing products. He framed these developments as undermining a framework that had sought to stabilize trade relations.

Risks

Escalation of trade tensions between the EU and the U.S. could impact the automotive sector, with higher tariffs on cars increasing costs and disrupting supply chains.
Continued tariff actions on steel- and aluminium-containing products — cited as over 400 items now facing an average 26% tariff — pose risks to metals producers and downstream manufacturers reliant on those inputs.
The perception of unreliable trade commitments could weaken bilateral commercial cooperation, introducing uncertainty for exporters and importers across affected market sectors.

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EU Trade Chair Says U.S. Tariff Move on European Cars Undermines Reliability of Partnership

Key Points

Risks

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