On Sunday, 31 October, the EU and the US announced a pause in the transatlantic trade dispute over steel and aluminium tariffs. The US will partially remove Section 232 tariffs (up to historic trade volumes), while the EU will suspend its retaliatory measures. Both sides also agreed to start negotiations on a Global Arrangement on Sustainable Steel and Aluminium.
EU and US reach deal on steel and aluminium tariff dispute
On Sunday, 31 October, the EU and the US announced a pause in the transatlantic trade dispute over steel and aluminium tariffs. The US will partially remove Section 232 tariffs (up to historic trade volumes), while the EU will suspend its retaliatory measures. Both sides also agreed to start negotiations on a Global Arrangement on Sustainable Steel and Aluminium.

The American Chamber of Commerce to the EU (AmCham EU) commends the EU and the US for putting an end to a major irritant in the EU-US relationship and charting a path for a more forward-looking approach to tackling global overcapacity of steel and aluminium. No one stood to win from further tit-for-tat measures. These tariffs failed to address unfair trading practices, the root cause of this issue, and only hurt jobs, prosperity and security on both sides of the Atlantic.
The deal demonstrates the crucial role the EU and the US can play when they work together, fighting climate change and addressing unfair trading practices. The fact that other like-minded countries will be able to join this initiative also shows how transatlantic leadership can be an engine for multilateralism. As talks unfold for this new arrangement, compliance with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules will remain critical. The rules-based trading system provides the certainty that companies need to operate globally.
This announcement comes after a series of positive developments in the transatlantic relationship, including a pause on the long-standing aircraft subsidies dispute as well as a range of initiatives launched at the EU-US summit in June, including the creation of the Trade and Technology Council (TTC). The TTC provides a unique platform to make progress on connected issues, such as strengthening supply chains, promoting global standards, reforming the WTO and developing a joint approach to non-market economies. Read more about AmCham EU’s priorities for the TTC here.
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Trilogue breakthrough unlocks implementation of EU-US Framework Agreement
AmCham EU is relieved to see the European Parliament and Member States reach an agreement on the tariff reduction proposals linked to the EU-US Framework Agreement. The co-legislators’ compromise is a critical step for businesses that rely on a stable transatlantic trade and investment relationship.
The EU‑US commercial relationship is the largest in the world. It supports millions of European and American jobs and underpins deeply integrated value chains on both sides of the Atlantic. While AmCham EU opposes broad-based tariffs, given political priorities on both sides of the Atlantic, the EU-US Framework Agreement still provides the most realistic path to a workable and more constructive transatlantic trade and investment environment that helps businesses plan and grow in an increasingly volatile global context. The trilogue agreement is a sign that the EU is honouring its commitments under the deal.
Member States and the European Parliament must now formally confirm this outcome at the earliest possible opportunity. Completing this process will allow the EU and the US to move beyond tariffs and advance the broader cooperation set out in the Joint Statement, including on critical supply chains, non‑market practices and economic security.
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Building the transatlantic relationship directly in DC
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Discussions focused on the implementation of the EU-US Framework Agreement and its role in supporting a more predictable transatlantic trade and investment relationship. The deal remains the most realistic route to a more constructive climate for companies operating across the Atlantic. The EU-US strategic partnership on critical minerals points to the potential for further EU-US cooperation in areas that benefit businesses on both sides of the Atlantic.
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EU-US critical minerals agreement: mutually beneficial transatlantic cooperation in action
The new EU-US strategic partnership on critical minerals marks a positive step forward for the transatlantic relationship, demonstrating how EU-US cooperation can deliver benefits for businesses on both sides of the Atlantic. Critical minerals sit at the heart of modern technologies and industrial value chains, essential to products like semiconductors and future energy technologies. This strategic partnership will help provide American and European companies with a more secure supply of these inputs. More broadly, the agreement can support the EU and US economies in reducing strategic dependencies in global critical minerals trade – a shared challenge.
Beyond critical minerals, the strategic partnership points to an opportunity for a new chapter in EU-US cooperation built around shared economic and strategic priorities. The two sides have a greater impact when using their combined weight to address shared challenges. Pursuing the kind of cooperation outlined in the strategic partnership should be a priority as the two sides build on the August 2025 EU-US Joint Statement, with further opportunities for coordination on issues such as securing industrial supply chains for AI development, tackling non-market trading practices and bolstering transatlantic cyber resilience.
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