The European Union and the United States have reached an agreement establishing a fixed tariff of 15% for the majority of European exports to the U.S., and completely removing tariffs for a number of strategic products. With this agreement, the details of which are not yet fully known, both parties seek to stabilize their commercial relations in a context characterized by geopolitical tensions, growing protectionism, and mounting pressure on global supply chains.
In short, this is the Trump era in all its splendor.
Of course, this new framework directly affects european companies that sell online, whether they operate in the United States and the rest of the EU. Does it facilitate or complicate their international strategy? As is often the case in international commerce, the answer depends on the business model, the origin of the products, and each company’s ability to adapt.
The main benefit of this agreement for european companies is tariff predictability.
Until now, the absence of a general agreement left room for unilateral decisions, such as those in 2019 that imposed tariffs of 22 EUR% on products like wine or olive oil. With the new agreement, a tariff ceiling of 15% — “a clear limit. Not cumulative. It includes everything” is established, as Ursula von der Leyen explained in an official statement. The intention is to move towards a much more stable environment, allowing companies to plan their campaigns, pricing, and profit margins in advance.
Additionally, the agreement sets forth a zero-tariff scheme for strategic products, such as aircraft, technology components, certain chemicals, specific generic pharmaceuticals, and certain agricultural products. If wine, for instance, is ultimately included in this list, wineries exporting to the U.S. could benefit from a clear advantage over non-European competitors. “We will continue working to add more products to this list,” explained Von der Leyen.
Clearly, tariffs do not represent good news for international trade. This has been known for centuries; trade wars rarely end well, and it is clear that Trump has imposed his will by dramatizing an unbalanced power dynamic with the EU that should not be celebrated.
But it is also true that for companies in sectors such as agri-food, cosmetics, or industry, manufacturing in other EU countries, this may represent an opportunity to strengthen their competitiveness against countries like China, Brazil, or Vietnam, whose products continue to be subject to tariffs of 30% or more.
And certainly, it is less than the 30% with which the EU had previously been threatened.
Thus, American consumers could seek alternatives to Chinese products, opening a window for European companies to increase their market share in the United States.
Not all companies will benefit. Some european eCommerce businesses import products from China, Turkey, India, or Bangladesh for sale in the United States. In these cases, the agreement does not apply, since the tariff benefit depends on the country of origin of the product, not the corporate domicile of the seller.
This means that:
Furthermore, the new agreement includes a clause on economic security cooperation, which could translate to stricter controls on goods originating from third countries, indirectly raising import costs and administrative burdens for these types of companies.
However, there is an additional implication: the agreement not only regulates European exports to the United States but also facilitates the entry of U.S. products into the European market. This could have significant consequences for local businesses.
The agreement stipulates that, while the EU ensures safer access for its products to the U.S. market, it will “offer better access for U.S. products in our market”. The goal of this agreement is to “reduce barriers between us”. However, the document does not specify a single, general tariff percentage for U.S. companies selling in the EU. Instead, it mentions zero-for-zero tariffs for “all aircraft and their components, certain chemicals, specific generic pharmaceuticals, semiconductor equipment, specific agricultural products, natural resources, and critical raw materials”. For these products, U.S. companies will not pay tariffs when selling in the EU. The agreement also sets a framework to “further reduce tariffs on more products” and “address non-tariff barriers.”
Let us now speculate about the possible implications.
To begin with, American products will be able to enter the European market more easily, potentially putting pressure on local companies in sectors such as cosmetics, food, electronics, or pharmaceuticals. Certainly, from a consumer perspective, the agreement could bring greater variety and better pricing for certain items. However, for local companies, it represents unexpected competition. This is particularly relevant if the trade war between China and the United States is not resolved, since many Chinese products could (and in fact are) see the EU as a lifeline to recover sales lost in the United States due to tariffs.
Thus, small and medium enterprises operating solely in the European market may face additional pressure, both from American and Chinese products.
It is clear that this trade agreement does not resolve all the challenges facing transatlantic commerce, but it does mark a turning point in the relationship between the EU and the United States. For Spanish companies that sell online in North America, it represents an opportunity if they are willing to rethink their supply chains, relocate production, or reposition their brands. At the same time, it poses the challenge of withstanding a possible new influx of foreign products that will compete in our own market.
The key will be to adapt rapidly, closely monitor regulatory changes, and seek competitive advantages that go beyond price: quality, proximity, sustainability, and customer experience.
Image: Flux Schnell and European Commission
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