The European Parliament resumes legislative work on proposals to approve the European American trade agreement

Brussels, February 4 (Xinhua) -- The European Parliament decided on the 4th to resume legislative work on proposals to approve a trade agreement between Europe and the United States. Previously, due to US President Trump's announcement of imposing tariffs on eight European countries in order to obtain Greenland, the European Parliament decided on January 21 to temporarily suspend the approval of the European American trade agreement.

Bernd Lang, Chairman of the International Trade Committee of the European Parliament, issued a statement saying that the committee will accelerate the legislative proposal, but only if the United States respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the European Union and its member states, and fulfills the European American trade agreement. Meanwhile, if the US actions threaten the core security interests of the EU or its member states, the EU may suspend corresponding tariff preferences.

The core content of the trade agreement reached between Europe and the United States in July last year included the EU suspending tariffs on all American industrial products and establishing a tariff quota system for a large number of American agricultural and food products entering the EU market, in exchange for the US imposing a 15% tariff on most EU exports to the US.

Lang said that the relevant legislative proposals to implement the European American trade agreement may be voted on at the next International Trade Commission meeting on February 24th at the earliest.