The European Parliament is preparing to challenge the Commission’s plan to cut tariffs on U.S. goods, a move that threatens to undermine Ursula von der Leyen’s authority just as her second mandate begins.
The chairman of the Parliament’s International Trade Committee, Bernd Lange (SPD/S&D), admitted that he is “not sure” lawmakers will back Brussels’ plan, which is necessary for Washington to lower tariffs on European cars from 27.5% to 15%. “I don’t see why it is justified that European steel and aluminum face a 50% tariff while U.S. goods should come in at zero,” warned the German MEP.
The Commission insists that simply registering the proposal will be enough for the United States to deliver on its part, without the need for approval by Parliament or the Council. “The only thing that will move Washington forward is the proposal stage—what matters is our input, not our result,” said a senior EU official. But Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič was forced to clarify that the ordinary legislative procedure would be followed, with the participation of MEPs and national governments.
The debate has exposed divisions between EU institutions. For the Commission, it is a pragmatic move to stop the “hemorrhage” of Europe’s car industry, squeezed both by Trump’s tariffs and the competition of Chinese electric vehicles. For the European Parliament, however, it amounts to an act of submission to the United States that breaks the symmetry of trade relations. Socialists, Greens, and part of the conservatives question a deal they see as unbalanced, while liberals fear being caught between market logic and domestic political pressure.
Tensions with Washington have further complicated the issue. Trump has threatened additional sanctions if the EU maintains its digital rules, which Washington considers a form of “censorship” against Google, Apple, and Meta. MEPs such as France’s Marie-Pierre Vedrenne have denounced this as unacceptable “blackmail,” while Brussels reaffirms its sovereign right to regulate tech companies operating in Europe. Against this backdrop, tariff concessions are politically sensitive.
The United States is the second-largest market for European cars, with 758,000 vehicles exported in 2024 worth €38.9 billion, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association. But if Parliament blocks the initiative, the sector would take a hit and Von der Leyen would suffer a political blow just weeks after winning her confidence vote.
