EuroWire, BRUSSELS: The European Commission on Feb. 22 called on the United States to provide “full clarity” on its next steps after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that said the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not authorize the U.S. president to impose tariffs. The Commission said Washington must respect the terms of the EU-U.S. trade understanding reached last year and warned against changes that would raise tariff levels on EU goods beyond what was previously agreed.
The Commission said the current uncertainty was undermining efforts to deliver “fair, balanced, and mutually beneficial” transatlantic trade and investment. It said “a deal is a deal” and stressed that EU products should continue to receive the most competitive tariff treatment available under the existing understanding. The Commission said Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič had discussed the issue with senior U.S. trade and commerce officials as contacts continued between Brussels and Washington.
The EU-U.S. framework announced in August 2025 set out tariff parameters intended to stabilize trade ties after earlier disputes, including a ceiling for duties applied to originating EU goods, alongside product specific provisions. The Commission cited that framework in its Feb. 22 statement and said it expected the United States to keep to the commitments already set out. The Commission did not announce new trade measures, focusing instead on the need for clarity and adherence to agreed terms.
Tariff authority in dispute
The Supreme Court decision overturned the legal basis for a set of broad tariffs imposed under emergency economic powers, forcing U.S. authorities to adjust how those duties would be administered. Following the ruling, U.S. customs authorities issued guidance to halt collections tied to the affected orders and to deactivate related tariff codes as the change took effect, while keeping other, separate tariff regimes in place. The ruling and its immediate administrative consequences raised questions for importers and exporters about which duties would apply at the border.
President Donald Trump subsequently announced a temporary across the board import surcharge under a different statutory authority, citing Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. Trump said the temporary measure would be applied for 150 days, with exclusions for specified goods, and later said the rate would be raised to 15%, the maximum under that authority. The White House issued a proclamation setting out the new surcharge and listing categories of exceptions.
The Commission’s statement framed the issue as one of implementation and compliance rather than renegotiation, and it said the United States should avoid steps that would increase tariffs on EU goods beyond the agreed ceiling. The Commission also underlined the importance of predictable conditions for businesses that rely on transatlantic supply chains, including manufacturers and exporters that price goods months in advance and move products through long shipping cycles.
EU seeks assurances on trade terms
Political pressure also surfaced inside the European Union. Bernd Lange, chair of the European Parliament’s international trade committee, said he would propose pausing the ratification process for the EU-U.S. trade deal, describing the situation as “pure tariff chaos” and pointing to uncertainty for companies and trading partners. The Commission’s statement did not address parliamentary timing, but the comments highlighted the domestic scrutiny facing any further steps linked to the framework.
The United States remains the European Union’s largest single country trading partner in goods, and the Commission noted that sudden tariff changes can disrupt investment decisions, procurement contracts, and cross border production. The Commission said it would continue contacts with U.S. counterparts and would judge Washington’s next steps against the commitments already set out in the transatlantic understanding.