The European Parliament has suspended its work on ratifying a landmark trade agreement with the United States, citing rising geopolitical tensions, particularly U.S. threats related to Greenland’s sovereignty. Lawmakers on Wednesday agreed to delay approval of the so-called Turnberry trade deal — negotiated last July to remove most EU import duties on U.S. goods — after U.S. President Donald Trump publicly pressured European allies over the Arctic territory and threatened to impose tariffs if they opposed his ambitions.
Bernd Lange, chair of the Parliament’s International Trade Committee, said the suspension is a direct response to the perceived use of tariff threats as leverage against EU member states, arguing that “business as usual” is no longer possible as long as Greenland’s future is used as a bargaining tool. The legislative vote had been scheduled later this month, but now remains on hold indefinitely.
The decision marks a significant escalation in transatlantic tensions and reflects broader unease among EU lawmakers over the predictability of U.S. trade policy. European leaders are preparing for an extraordinary summit in Brussels to discuss collective responses, including possible retaliatory tariffs if U.S.–EU relations continue to deteriorate.
The freeze does not abolish the agreement, but underlines deep divisions over trade and geopolitical strategy between the bloc and its long-standing ally. news as reported.
