The European Parliament has officially suspended the US trade deal ratification, directly responding to President Trump’s threat of 10% tariffs unless Europe supports his Greenland acquisition plans. This parliamentary decision represents the most substantial material pushback Brussels has demonstrated, with what several European leaders last week collectively characterized as blackmail.
Trade committee head Bernd Lange made clear that compromise remains impossible while threats concerning Greenland persist. The suspended agreement had promised American exporters unprecedented access to European markets with zero tariffs on numerous industrial goods.
Despite the trade deal suspension, the EU’s commitment to purchase $750 billion in American energy remains fully operational. Lange confirmed this energy arrangement exists independently from the tariff negotiations, demonstrating Brussels’ selective approach to the crisis.
The deteriorating diplomatic relationship became apparent when Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, revised her travel schedule following her parliamentary address. She cancelled a Davos visit where Trump was attending, choosing instead to return directly to Brussels for emergency summit preparations.
The unified characterization of Trump’s tactics as blackmail by multiple European leaders underscores the seriousness with which Brussels views the situation. The Thursday evening summit will examine Brussels’ full array of potential countermeasures, including deploying €93 billion worth of retaliatory tariffs and activating an anti-coercion instrument never before used. Originally designed to counter Chinese economic pressure, this nuclear option could enable the EU to restrict American businesses from accessing European markets, potentially targeting technology companies, cryptocurrency platforms, aircraft manufacturers, and agricultural exporters.
