Brussels – The European Parliament’s trade committee has today voted to advance an EU-US deal on tariffs, which had been held up in response to President Trump’s threats to annex Greenland. The deal, which would set a ceiling of 15% tariffs on EU goods entering the US, in return for zero tariffs on US goods entering Europe, is also linked to a promise EU Commission President von der Leyen made that the EU would import $750 billion of US energy by the end of 2028, mostly oil and gas.
This decision comes as European gas prices spiked after Iran’s strikes on Qatar’s liquefied gas hub. As fossil fuel prices surge, Europeans are showing a growing interest in renewable energy to avoid price shocks, which countries like Spain with more renewables have been more insulated from.
Greenpeace EU climate campaigner Thomas Gelin said: “Europe should have learnt the lesson from its disastrous reliance on Russia for energy – if you hand a stick to a bully they will beat you with it. Repeating the experiment with energy dependence on the US is foolish in the extreme. The EU made huge advances in renewables and cutting energy waste in response to Russia’s aggression, and must repeat these wins and move to a fully renewable and efficient energy system that is more resilient to price shocks and supply shortages caused by incidents like the war in Iran. Promises to import fuels that are bad for the climate, bad for Europe’s security and bad for people’s bills should have no place in a deal with the US.”
By 2025, the US already provided 27% of EU gas imports, which could grow to 40% by 2030. Greenpeace is warning that increased imports of energy products like oil, gas and nuclear from the US undermines Europe’s safety and independence, as well as accelerating the climate crisis which the EU’s own science advisers say will have devastating consequences for the continent. The chair of the EU Parliament’s trade committee has himself labelled the energy import promises as ‘totally unrealistic’.
Early this morning, activists projected a golden facade and the words “TRUMP TOWER” onto the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, mimicking one of President Trump’s skyscrapers, accusing EU leaders meeting today of capitulating to his demands.
Next steps
The whole Parliament will now vote on the deal in its plenary session, possibly on 25-26 March. Greenpeace is warning that the EU’s dependence on fossil fuel imports, as well as accelerating the climate crisis, gives leverage to authoritarian governments over the EU, and puts European households at risk of volatile prices. Greenpeace is calling on Members of the European Parliament to reject the EU-US trade deal.
Contacts:
Thomas Gelin, Greenpeace EU campaigner: +32 473 57 04 46, [email protected]
Greenpeace EU press desk: +32 (0)2 274 1911, [email protected]
For breaking news and comment on EU affairs: Bluesky
Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning network that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace. We do not accept donations from governments, the EU, businesses or political parties. Greenpeace has over three million supporters, and 26 independent national and regional organisations with offices in more than 55 countries.
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