The European Union is awaiting further steps from Washington to implement key elements of the late-July framework trade agreement, after confirming that it cannot yet give a timeline for a joint statement with the United States or for White House action on sector-specific tariffs.
A European Commission spokesperson said on Tuesday that while the accord is “strong”, Brussels cannot put a date on next steps that are to be taken by the US.
Under the deal, a 15% baseline tariff on European exports to the US is already in force. However, measures viewed in Brussels as central to the agreement—including an executive order to lower the current 27.5% US import duty on EU cars and parts to 15%—have yet to materialise. The delay has left European manufacturers and logistics providers unclear about near-term pricing and routing decisions for transatlantic shipments.
That uncertainty is filtering through supply chains. Wallenius Wilhelmsen, one of the largest vehicle carriers, said on Tuesday that it and its clients still lack clarity on the final tariff rate applicable to EU-made vehicles bound for the US, complicating planning and capacity allocation. European carmakers had already adjusted shipping schedules this year in response to shifting tariff risks.
The late-July agreement set a general ceiling of 15% on tariff lines that might otherwise rise following US investigations, including pharmaceuticals and semiconductors. It also envisages the elimination of tariffs on a defined list of goods on both sides—aircraft and some related parts among them—while other items would revert to lower most-favoured-nation rates. Talks on alcohol duties, notably spirits and wine, are expected to run into the autumn.
For metals, the picture remains mixed. Europe still faces US tariffs of 50% on steel and aluminium. The two sides have announced an intention to establish a quota-based system and a “metals alliance” aimed at addressing global overcapacity, notably in China, and eventually reducing duties. Until any replacement regime is in place, EU smelters report pressure from shifts in raw-material flows, with scrap supplies diverted towards the US as a result of the tariff differential.
Market indicators reflect expectations of possible policy adjustments later this year. Aluminium premiums for contracts beyond August have eased from recent highs amid speculation that Washington could pare back the 50% levy or grant targeted exemptions, although some analysts expect tariffs to remain in place through 2025 on national-security grounds.
Brussels has signalled a preference to avoid escalation while the framework is implemented. Earlier this month the EU said it would suspend planned countermeasures against the US for six months, a step designed to give negotiations time to bed in and to monitor the impact of the baseline tariff and any subsequent carve-outs. Officials in Brussels have also cautioned that trade relations are likely to remain volatile as both sides codify the agreement.
On the US side, President Donald Trump signed an executive order on 31 July titled “Further Modifying the Reciprocal Tariff Rates”, part of the legal architecture underpinning the baseline rate. Sector-specific orders—such as the expected decision on automotive imports from the EU—have not yet been published, according to European officials. The Commission reiterated that it expects Washington to take the steps envisaged in the accord but would not set a timeline.
The structure of the July agreement reflects a compromise intended to halt a broader tariff spiral while creating space to manage politically sensitive areas. Aircraft and certain industrial goods are slated for zero tariffs, while contentious categories—including automobiles, metals, and some agri-food items—are to be handled through defined ceilings, quotas, or later-stage lists. The sequencing means practical relief for some sectors may arrive ahead of others, depending on the pace of legal instruments issued in Washington and implementing measures in Brussels.
In the near term, European exporters face a two-track environment: a uniform 15% baseline now in place, and a set of promised carve-outs and zero-tariff lines awaiting formalisation. For carmakers and their logistics providers, the difference between a 27.5% and a 15% US import duty is material to pricing, inventory strategy, and model allocation. For metals producers, continued exposure to the 50% rate—despite the prospect of a future quota regime—will keep margins under strain.
