The European Union is preparing a proposal for the United States outlining how to implement the next stage of the trade agreement struck in August between Ursula von der Leyen and President Donald Trump, according to people familiar with the plan. The move comes ahead of EU trade chief Maros Šefčovič’s meetings in Washington later this month and follows U.S. demands for a legally binding roadmap to address regulations it claims harm American firms.
Info via Bloomberg (gated)
The EU’s draft “implementation action plan” — not yet shared with Washington — focuses on five areas including tariffs, market access, digital trade, standards, and cooperation over steel and aluminium. Brussels wants lower U.S. duties on specific goods such as wine and spirits, and aims to ensure the existing 15% tariff ceiling applies broadly, including to sectors that could face future U.S. action.
The plan also proposes a joint economic security working group to coordinate on investment screening, export controls, procurement and raw materials. Brussels is additionally seeking a quota system to reduce the steep 50% tariffs currently imposed on EU steel and aluminium. The roadmap would also track the EU’s commitments to strategic purchases of LNG and semiconductor inputs under the deal. EU envoys are receiving briefings on the proposal this week.
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The EU’s push for broader tariff limits and steel/aluminium relief could reduce cost pressures for exporters, while deeper cooperation on standards and digital trade may ease regulatory friction for multinationals. Markets are watching for signals on whether the U.S. will accept lower duties across additional sectors.
This article was written by Eamonn Sheridan at investinglive.com.
