The European Commission has confirmed that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and U.S. President Donald Trump have agreed to accelerate trade negotiations following a phone call that helped ease mounting tensions between the two economic powers.
President Trump, who had previously threatened to impose 50% tariffs on European Union goods as early as June 1, announced he would pause the move until July 9 after what he described as a “very nice call” with von der Leyen. The White House has not disclosed detailed terms of the conversation, but both sides expressed a renewed commitment to reaching a deal.
“In terms of what were the details of the discussions, we will not enter into that,” said Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho. “But we are talking about the world’s single largest and closest trade relationship… There’s now a new impetus for the negotiations.”
The EU’s negotiating team, led by Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, is expected to speak today with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to begin the next phase of talks. The Commission emphasized it is ready to make a deal, calling the renewed engagement at presidential level a positive development.
Trump had ramped up pressure on the EU last week, threatening fresh tariffs and criticising the bloc’s trade policies. Speaking from New Jersey before boarding Air Force One, he said von der Leyen had requested more time for “serious negotiations,” which he agreed to.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), von der Leyen described the exchange as a “good call,” stating that “Europe is ready to advance talks swiftly and decisively.”
The move to delay new tariffs was welcomed by several European leaders. Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin said it was “absolutely important” to secure a realistic and fair trade deal, while Tánaiste Simon Harris called for “meaningful and substantive talks.”
German Finance Minister and Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil also urged “serious negotiations,” warning that further tariffs could damage both the U.S. and European economies.
The EU has pledged retaliatory tariffs on nearly €100 billion worth of U.S. goods if talks collapse. Trade spokesperson Olof Gill acknowledged that significant differences remain but insisted they are “not unbridgeable.” Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, he added, “We want to ignore all the bluster in the background—we are ready to talk.”
With the deadline extended to July 9, both sides now face a narrow window to avoid a transatlantic trade conflict and forge a deal that benefits businesses and consumers alike.
