European Parliament gives conditional approval to EU-US trade deal
The European Parliament has backed legislation to implement an EU-US trade deal, following months of uncertainty over President Donald Trump's tariff threats.
A majority of lawmakers voted in favour of the measures on Thursday, but added a series of safeguards to ensure the US honours its side of the deal struck last July.
The legislation would set tariffs at 15% for most EU goods - down from the 30% initially threatened - in exchange for European investment in the US andthe removal of EU import duties on US industrial goods.
The vote comes after months of delay following Trump's threats to annex Greenland and a US Supreme Court ruling that found some of his tariffs unlawful.
The EU assembly voted by 417 to 154, and 71 abstentions, in favour of the legislation.
The text will need to be signed off by all of the bloc's 27 member states before it is implemented, with a concluding vote expected in April or May.
On Thursday, lawmakers moved to strengthen its safeguards, including a provision to suspend the agreement if the US imposes additional tariffs above 15% or introduces new duties on EU goods. Another would halt the deal if the US threatened the EU's territorial sovereignty.
MEPs also included a "sunrise clause" that means EU tariff reductions will only take effect if the US upholds its side of the bargain - including lowering tariffs to 15% on EU products that contain less than 50% steel and aluminium.
