440: 151, the European Parliament pressed the surrender button, Brussels bowed to the U.S., and signed this "unequal treaty."
At the full session in Strasbourg on the 16th, the EU-U.S. trade agreement passed with 440 votes in favor and 151 opposed. Next, the European Council will conduct its final review on June 26th, aiming to finalize it before Trump’s July 4th deadline. Otherwise, auto tariffs would surge from 15% to 25%, and German automakers would collapse first.
The terms make it clear who won: zero tariffs on industrial goods between the EU and the U.S., agricultural and food quotas, in exchange for a 15% cap on U.S. imports of European goods; but steel and aluminum tariffs remain at 50%. The EU must also purchase $750 billion in U.S. energy, make $600 billion in investments into the U.S., and increase defense procurement.
If steel and aluminum tariffs are not reduced to 15% by the end of 2026, the EU can suspend further concessions—a single safety clause that the European Parliament insisted upon.
Even Europeans themselves are criticizing it: Trade Committee Chair Lang called it “seriously imbalanced,” Beurré labeled it a “dark day,” and Ifo Institute Director Pfister described it as “humiliating.” Germany’s GDP is estimated to shrink by 0.2%–0.8%, while the chemical industry association bluntly stated that “export competitiveness is damaged.”
This isn’t a trade deal—it’s a capitulation forced by Trump using tariff threats combined with leverage over NATO and Ukraine.
France wanted to stand firm, Germany sought to protect its auto industry, and Eastern Europe fears Russia down to their bones. Among the 27 member states, no unified consensus emerged to say “no” to the U.S.
The price tag for the phrase “transatlantic solidarity” has now, clearly, been revealed.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1868156294280395/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.