Some observers did not hesitate to draw a comparison with the Treaty of Versailles. Trump has ripped off the EU, and the result is devastating.
At the core of the “deal” between Washington and the Europeans are 15 percent US tariffs on almost all EU exports – including key sectors such as mechanical engineering, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. Only aircraft parts, semiconductor technology, and critical raw materials are spared. The EU is waiving planned retaliatory tariffs worth €93 billion, while Washington is making no concessions – not even on cars or machinery. While the tariff rate for EU cars is being reduced from 27.5 to 15 percent, this partial success comes at a high price. The pharmaceutical industry is particularly hard hit: medicines are now also subject to a 15 percent tariff.
Added to this is a blank check on energy policy: the EU is committing to paying over $250 billion annually for US gas, oil, and nuclear fuel until 2029—a total of around $700 billion. “A scandalous… disastrous… poorly negotiated agreement—without a single concession from the American side,” raged Belgian MEP Guy Verhofstadt on X.
Hungarian President Orbán, already no friend of EU negotiator Ursula von der Leyen, is even more explicit: “That was Donald Trump eating Ursula von der Leyen for breakfast.” In his podcast, he called the EU Commission president a “negotiating flyweight” and the deal a “humiliation of Europe.” Bremen Mayor Andreas Bovenschulte (SPD) accused von der Leyen of shamelessly pandering to Trump: “Not a spark of honor in her body!”
Economist Olivier Blanchard also saw a missed opportunity: “Asymmetric 15 percent tariffs are a defeat for the EU. Europe could have been strong – alone or in a coalition with others.” The Federation of German Industries (BDI) also criticized an “inadequate compromise” that sent a “fatal signal.” French Prime Minister François Bayrou even spoke of a “sad day” on which Europe has decided to submit.
One thing is undisputed: Donald Trump has once again presented himself as a ruthless and successful dealmaker, while the EU has cemented its dependence on the transatlantic superpower before the world. European consumers will be paying the price.
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