Donald Trump presents list of tariffs | Image source: White House Press Office
US President Donald Trump has surprisingly announced that he will increase tariffs on cars and trucks from the European Union to 25 percent starting next week. Trump accuses Brussels of not honoring the trade agreement agreed in September 2025. The EU reserves the right to take countermeasures.
“I am pleased to announce that, in light of the European Union’s failure to comply with our fully agreed trade agreement, I will be increasing tariffs next week on European Union cars and trucks entering the United States.” Vehicles produced by EU manufacturers in the USA are excluded.
The EU-US trade agreement concluded in September 2025 provided for a retroactive reduction in tariffs on EU car exports to 15 percent – after previously 27.5 percent. In return, the EU eliminated its tariffs on all US industrial goods and gave American agricultural products preferential market access.
However, the status of the agreement has been unclear since a ruling by the US Supreme Court: The judges denied Trump the authority to introduce tariffs on the basis of an economic emergency.
A Commission spokeswoman emphasized that the EU remains committed to the agreed agreement, but reserves the right to take countermeasures. The chairman of the trade committee in the EU Parliament, Bernd Lange, spoke of unacceptable behavior: “This latest step shows how unreliable the US side is.”
VDA President Hildegard Müller described the announcement as a “renewed and serious strain on transatlantic relations.” With the agreement, Europe saved around 500 to 600 million euros per month. Also in the background is the tense relationship between Washington and Europe because of the US campaign against Iran.
