European lawmakers have formally halted the US trade agreement ratification process, challenging President Trump’s attempt to link tariff policy with his territorial ambitions for Greenland. The suspension represents Brussels’ most concrete material action against what European leaders have described as political blackmail.
Bernd Lange, head of the European Parliament’s trade committee, established clear terms for resuming negotiations, insisting that threats involving Greenland must cease entirely before any compromise becomes possible. The frozen agreement had been set to eliminate tariffs on many American industrial exports to Europe.
Critically, the European Union has preserved its $750 billion energy purchase commitment, which Lange confirmed operates separately from the suspended trade agreement. This strategic distinction allows Brussels to maintain essential energy security cooperation while defending political autonomy against coercion.
Diplomatic relations showed visible strain when European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen altered her schedule after addressing parliament. She skipped a Davos detour where she might have encountered Trump, returning instead immediately to Brussels for emergency summit preparations.
The Thursday evening emergency gathering will address the full spectrum of potential countermeasures available to Brussels. European leaders will consider implementing €93 billion worth of counter-tariffs on US exports and potentially activating an unused anti-coercion instrument functioning as a nuclear deterrent in trade conflicts. Originally conceived to limit Chinese economic pressure on individual member states, this mechanism could restrict American companies from accessing European markets. Targets might include major technology firms, cryptocurrency businesses, aircraft manufacturers, or agricultural exporters, though officials recognize such actions could burden European consumers with higher costs or service restrictions.
