The European Parliament’s trade chief told Euronews that the US's stated aim of buying or annexing the Danish territory is changing the assessment of the EU-US trade deal clinched last summer, with some MEPs suggesting it should be frozen.
The US's renewed threats to seize Greenland have altered the conditions for approving a crucial EU-US trade deal, a senior MEP told Euronews on Thursday.
Bern Lange (German/S&D), who chairs the European Parliament’s trade committee, made his remarks as MEPs consider the deal struck last summer by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and US President Donald Trump.
If implemented, the trade agreement would see the EU cut its tariffs on US goods to 0% while EU exports face 15% tariffs in the US.
But geopolitical tensions between Washington and Europe have intensified in the aftermath of the US raid on Caracas that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. In the ensuing days, Trump administration officials have reiterated their intentions to buy or annex the Danish territory, putting the EU's proposed trade concessions to the US in a new light.
“The whole situation has changed,” Lange told Euronews. “We will make an assessment and have a discussion in my committee at the end of January.”
Freezing the deal
In February, lawmakers are due to vote on legislation lifting EU tariffs, but the future of the deal – which many MEPs already consider unbalanced – is now in question.
Danish MEP Per Clausen (The Left) is circulating a letter, seen by Euronews, which urges Parliament President Roberta Metsola and political group leaders to “freeze” the deal “as long as claims for Greenland and threats are made by the US administration”.
“It will be nothing short of grotesque if the EU chooses to reward Trump’s threats and disrespect for international law by approving a trade deal that benefits the US and Trump,” Clausen told Euronews.
“If we do that, the EU will simply fail as a serious player. Worse, the Trump camp will see it as a sign of weakness, and that will embolden them further.”
Dozens of MEPs from across political groups and nationalities have signed the letter since yesterday, and it is expected to be sent early next week, Euronews has learned.
Greenland is not the only flashpoint in EU-US relations. The US is still imposing a 50% tariff on steel and aluminium imports from most countries and trading partners, and after the deal with the EU was agreed, it extended them to cover more than 400 products containing the metals.
“That is not acceptable,” Lange said. “Unless the US is changing it, this is a breach of the deal, and I will not go for 0% tariffs for the US.”