Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
The Socialist and Democratic Party (SDP) group in the European Parliament said in a statement distributed in Brussels, "Trump's tariff war is illegal, unjust, and unacceptable. It puts European workers, companies, and entire sectors at risk, and undermines international law and the rules-based trading system. Europe cannot accept this."
On the sidelines of Wednesday's extraordinary meeting of the European Parliament's International Trade Committee (INTA) on EU-US trade relations, the SDP group called for a stronger and more coherent response from the European Commission and member states. It said, "Our priority must be protecting jobs and competitiveness in Europe, strengthening Europe's independence, and defending the rule of law—including European legislation on climate, sustainability, social policies, and digital regulation." The statement, a copy of which we received, read: “We will not endorse any concessions that harm our workers, our companies, or our European values. We need real preventive measures to protect our industries, a binding review clause to protect Europe from Trump’s volatility, and a firm commitment to securing the livelihoods of European workers and strengthening the competitiveness of European companies. Only by standing together and united can we ensure that trade works for people, not against them. The alternative is the law of the jungle, where the strongest imposes its will. We choose a different path: international law, solidarity, and cooperation with like-minded partners. Europe is ready to protect the stability, fairness, and predictability of its citizens.” Kathleen Van Brempt, Vice President of the Socialist and Democratic Alliance for International Trade, said: “From the outset, we have been clear: Trump’s tariff war is illegal. It violates international law, undermines the rules-based trading system, and directly threatens European companies and workers. We cannot allow US pressure politics to dictate Europe’s future. “That’s why we expect a stronger and more united response from the European Commission and the Member States. Europe must use all the tools at its disposal to defend its industries, protect jobs, and safeguard the livelihoods of our citizens.
“But this is not just about Europe; it’s also about defending the fundamental principle that international relations should be based on clear rules and cooperation, not brute force. That’s why we must stand together with our like-minded partners around the world. Together, we can stop this trade war, protect our people from its consequences, and build a fair, sustainable, and reliable trading system for the future.”
Brando Benifei, coordinator of the Socialist and Democratic Alliance in the INTA Committee and head of the Parliament’s delegation to the United States, added:
“The framework agreement with the US is neither reciprocal, fair, nor balanced. It may be a deal, and we understand that EU negotiators were following the narrow mandate given to member states to prioritize stability and diplomacy to avoid a full-blown trade war with the US, but let’s be clear: the agreement has nothing to do with free trade.
"Now it's Parliament's turn, and as legislators, we are ready to turn it upside down, as needed, to ensure European interests and values ​​are defended. We demand clarification from the Commission, and we will highlight the difference between the European Parliament and European capitals in our work on legislative proposals and their annexes."
The statement concluded by noting that from a trade perspective, the EU-US agreement is unbalanced. The EU will eliminate most tariffs on industrial and agricultural/seafood goods (except sensitive goods), while the US will impose a 15% tariff—higher than the 10% tariff applied between the US and the UK. This affects 33% of US exports, with an expected impact of €3.6 billion. The US will continue to impose a 50% tariff on EU steel and aluminum exports. In addition, the EU has agreed to invest €600 billion, purchase €750 billion of energy, and spend €40 billion on American AI chips. There are concerns about the agreement's compatibility with WTO rules.