EU Ambassadors (Coreper) Formally Back EU-US Trade Deal; EP Plenary Vote Set for June 15-18

EU ambassadors (Coreper) gave formal backing on May 27 to the provisional agreement reached on May 20 between the Council presidency and the European Parliament on two regulations implementing the EU-US Joint Statement trade deal. The Coreper endorsement cleared the path for the deal's final adoption. The agreement eliminates EU duties on most US industrial goods with a sunset clause through December 31, 2029, and limits US tariffs on EU exports to 15%. The European Parliament's INTA (International Trade) committee is expected to hold an extraordinary vote on June 2; the full EP plenary vote is scheduled for June 15-18, 2026 — ahead of President Trump's July 4 deadline. A steel and aluminium safeguard clause gives the EU the right to suspend the deal if the US fails to lift remaining metal tariffs by end-2026.