European parliament to weigh unfreezing EU–US trade deal shortly

The European Parliament will next week assess whether to lift its suspension of the EU–US trade agreement, amid lingering uncertainty over a recent “framework” deal on Greenland that led US President Donald Trump to withdraw threatened tariffs.

Bernd Lange, chair of the European Parliament’s trade committee, said the so-called Turnberry Agreement would be discussed by representatives of the Parliament’s political groups on Wednesday, February 4, Euroactiv reports. 

Speaking to reporters after a closed-door meeting with European Commission officials on January 26, Lange said: “There are some elements which are going in the right direction, but also a lot of uncertainty.”

He cited the lack of detail surrounding the Greenland agreement, which Trump has described as a “framework of a future deal”.

The Greenland pact was verbally agreed on January 21 between Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Under the arrangement, Trump rescinded his threat to impose tariffs of up to 25% on eight European countries, including Denmark, Germany and France, after demanding what he called the “complete and total purchase” of the Danish territory by Washington.

The threat had prompted the European Parliament to suspend ratification of the EU–US trade deal pending a resolution of the dispute, triggering one of the most serious transatlantic rifts in decades.

Lange’s comments came amid conflicting accounts from officials familiar with the January 27 briefing, which was attended by senior Commission official Leopoldo Rubinacci, over whether there is sufficient support among MEPs to move forward with the Turnberry Agreement. The deal would commit the EU to cutting duties on a range of US industrial and agricultural products.

Brando Benifei, an Italian MEP from the Socialists & Democrats group, said his faction would not “support resuming the vote if there is no clarity on the Greenland issue”. Asked whether a majority of trade committee members shared that view, he replied: “Yes.”

However, three officials familiar with the briefing said most MEPs appear willing to proceed with the agreement, while a fourth said there is still no majority in favour of lifting the suspension.

Jörgen Warborn, a Swedish MEP from the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), said Parliament should now “move forward” with the deal. He echoed calls made last week by European Parliament President Roberta Metsola and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, both also members of the EPP.

“I hope that we will proceed,” Warborn said.

An official from the liberal Renew group, the third faction in von der Leyen’s centrist coalition, said the group remains opposed to unfreezing the agreement.

Two officials said backing from right-wing groups, including the European Conservatives and Reformists and the far-right Patriots, could be enough to secure approval. One official added that some MEPs from Renew and the Socialists & Democrats could still be persuaded to support the deal.

If lawmakers agree to lift the suspension next week, the European Parliament could formally ratify the agreement by the end of February, Lange said.

By Sabina Mammadli