EU Parliament to cease work on implementing US-EU pact: Lawmakers

The agreement has already been partially implemented, but still needs a nod from the Parliament.

President Donald Trump’s threats to Greenland and the EU have given new vigour to a pro-European alliance that seemed to be losing steam against the main European allies of Trump’s policies.

Manfred Weber, president of the European People’s Party (EPP) said last week that the agreement with the United States is no longer possible. EPP is the largest political group in the Parliament.

“The EPP is in favour of the EU-US trade deal, but given Donald Trump’s threats regarding Greenland, approval is not possible at this stage,” Weber recently posted on social media. He added that the EU agreement to lower tariffs on “US products must be put on hold”.

“If he wants access to the single market at zero tariffs, be reliable,” Weber was quoted as saying by media reports from the continent.

European Council President Antonio Luis Santos da Costa has convened an extraordinary summit of EU leaders on January 22.

Trump last week announced a 10-per cent tariff from February 1 on goods from European countries that have supported Greenland following US call to seize the semi-autonomous Danish territory. He said the tariff would be raised to 25 per cent unless and until “a deal is reached for the complete and total purchase of Greenland.”

The conservatives, socialists, liberals and greens in the European Parliament reportedly agree that the vote on implementing a series of EU regulations designed to carry out the tariff commitments set out in the EU-US framework agreement will be scrapped. The vote is scheduled soon in the International Trade Committee.

Nicola Zingaretti, head of the Democratic Party delegation, emphasised at the World Economic Forum that “you cannot engage in dialogue under unacceptable threats or by showing subservience”. He called on European governments to ‘rise to the challenge’ launched by the European Parliament.

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