The European Commission on Tuesday clearly stated that it will not ease its laws in the fields of agricultural production and digital services in order to avoid new tariffs that the administration of Donald Trump could impose on goods from the European Union (EU). Nevertheless, Brussels remains open to the removal of certain “non-tariff barriers” with the aim of improving transatlantic trade.
“Food, health, and safety standards are our red line,” said Commission spokesperson Olof Gill, addressing journalists. “That is not part of the negotiations, nor are the regulations concerning technology and digital markets.”
A signal of conciliation, but without concessions in key sectors
This statement comes a day after European Commissioner for Trade Maros Sefcovic held talks in Washington with United States (U.S.) officials, during which he suggested the possibility of removing certain “non-tariff obstacles” in trade relations with the U.S. However, Gill did not specify which exact regulations could be revised, although he emphasized that the Commission had already presented certain proposals to the U.S.
U.S. officials have for years criticized the high European standards when it comes to agriculture, as well as the antitrust investigations the EU conducts against U.S. tech giants such as Apple, Google, and Meta.
U.S. report labels EU laws as barriers to free trade
In a comprehensive report by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) published on March 31st, many EU laws were listed as serious obstacles to trade. Among them are regulations on genetically modified organisms, the use of antibiotics in livestock, and pesticide restrictions.
Donald Trump further heightened tensions by accusing Europe of a longstanding ban on the import of U.S. chicken treated with chlorine – a practice the EU considers dangerous to consumer health.
Washington also complains about the value-added tax (VAT) system in the EU, claiming that it is discriminatory toward U.S. goods – a claim the Commission, as well as most independent analysts, reject.
Temporary truce – but tariffs still threaten
Last week, Trump temporarily suspended a series of “reciprocal tariffs” on nearly all U.S. trade partners, including a planned 20% tax on goods from the EU. In response, Brussels decided to suspend its countermeasures on U.S. goods for a period of 90 days, leaving room for potential new negotiations.
However, numerous Trump trade tariffs remain in place, including 25% duties on steel, aluminum, and cars, as well as a 10% “universal” tariff on all U.S. import products.
What comes next?
Although signals of conciliation are visible, both sides remain firm on their key positions. The EU will not sacrifice its standards for the sake of a trade compromise, while on the other hand, it is expected that Trump’s administration will continue using tariffs as a negotiating tool in trade policy.
In the coming weeks, negotiations could intensify, but it is clear that issues such as food safety and digital regulation will remain “sacred cows” of European institutions.
