EU Parliament greenlights the “Turnberry Deal” — 15% US tariffs on EU exports, duty-free access for US goods

Summary

On 16 June 2026, the European Parliament adopted (440 in favour, 151 against, 50 abstentions) the Regulation implementing the EU’s tariff commitments under the EU-US “Turnberry Deal” — the political framework reached between Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and US President Donald Trump at Turnberry Golf Club (Scotland) in July 2025. [kmlz.de], [politico.eu]
The deal is asymmetric by design: customs duties on US industrial imports into the EU are reduced to 0%, plus tariff-rate quotas for selected US agricultural and seafood products (incl. lobster), whereas EU exports to the US face a 15% tariff ceiling (with zero-for-zero treatment for strategic items such as aircraft, certain chemicals, generic medicines, semiconductor equipment and critical raw materials). [kmlz.de], [thenextweb.com]
Parliament inserted safeguards: a sunset clause expiring 31 December 2029, a suspension mechanism if the US breaches the 15% ceiling, a specific lever on steel and aluminium derivatives (the Commission may withdraw preferences if the US has not aligned its tariffs to 15% by 31 December 2026), and an import-surge safeguard. The Council of the EU formally adopted the texts on 25 June 2026, in time for Trump’s 4 July deadline. [confection…uction.com], [exportcomp…edaily.com], [finance.yahoo.com]

Source KMLZ

Article

From Turnberry to Strasbourg: a year-long ratification marathon

In its Customs Newsletter 06/2026, German tax firm KMLZ notes that, after a long period of severe tension in EU–US relations, the European Parliament has now “paved the way for predictable trade conditions with the US.” The instrument adopted on 16 June 2026 implements the so-called“Turnberry Deal”, the political framework agreed between Ursula von der Leyen and Donald Trump at the Turnberry Golf Club in Scotland in summer 2025. [kmlz.de]

The legislative file (procedure 2025/0261(COD), rapporteur Bernd Lange, S&D) was tabled by the Commission on 28 August 2025 as two regulations — one on industrial and agri-food imports, one extending the duty suspension on lobster. Work was twice frozen — first by Trump’s renewed claims on Greenland in January 2026, then by the US Supreme Court ruling of 20 February 2026 invalidating the IEEPA-based “reciprocal” tariffs — and resumed only after a trilogue compromise on 20 May 2026. [europarl.europa.eu], [europarl.europa.eu]

What the Regulation actually does

According to KMLZ and the EPRS At a Glance note, the Regulation:

Reduces to 0% the EU customs duty on numerous US-origin industrial goods (steel and aluminium products, pharmaceuticals, certain chemicals, semiconductor equipment, aircraft, critical raw materials), eliminating duties on roughly 34% of EU industrial imports from the US that were still subject to tariffs in 2024. [kmlz.de], [europarl.europa.eu]
Opens tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for selected US agri-food and seafood products — including 500,000 tonnes of nuts, 25,000 tonnes of pork and 340,000 tonnes of Alaska pollock duty-free — and extends the duty suspension for lobster (live and, newly, processed) retroactively from 1 August 2025. [eunews.it]
On a transitional basis, the origin of the goods is determined under the non-preferential origin rules of the Union Customs Code (Art. 59 et seq. UCC) — i.e. the place of “last substantial, economically-justified processing” (Art. 60(2) UCC). [kmlz.de]

In return, the US caps tariffs on most EU exports at 15%, with most-favoured-nation treatment for strategic sectors (aeronautics, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors). This represents a clear improvement over the previously threatened 25%+ Section 232 tariffs on European cars, but is still a heavy charge for EU automotive, chemical and consumer-goods exporters. [thenextweb.com], [cryptobriefing.com]

The safeguards Parliament wrung out of the Council

The deal that finally cleared plenary is significantly tougher than the Commission’s original August 2025 proposal — the price MEPs demanded for ratification:

Sunset clause – the Regulation expires automatically on 31 December 2029; the Commission must report by 30 June 2029 on its effects on EU industry, agriculture and SMEs. [confection…uction.com]
Suspension clause – the Commission may unilaterally suspend the 0% rates or TRQs if the US fails to honour the Joint Statement, raises tariffs above 15%, undermines the deal’s objectives, or discriminates against EU companies. [kmlz.de], [brusselstimes.com]
Steel & aluminium “trigger” – since August 2025, the US has subjected 407 additional derivative product categories to 50% Section 232 tariffs. The Commission must report by 1 December 2026; if the US has not aligned to a 15% rate by 31 December 2026, preferences can be withdrawn. [confection…uction.com]
Import-surge safeguard – activated by three or more Member States, EU industry, trade unions or on the Commission’s own initiative, allowing reimposition of duties to prevent or remedy serious injury to EU producers. [europarl.europa.eu], [globalimpo…kenzie.com]
Quarterly monitoring – the Commission must report to the EP and Council on the effects of the measures on the EU economy. [europarl.europa.eu]

Two safeguards Parliament had pushed for did not make the final text: a clause suspending the deal if Washington threatens EU sovereignty (Greenland), and a “sunrise” clause linking EU tariff cuts to prior US action on steel/aluminium. [euperspectives.eu]

Final adoption and entry into force

The Council of the EU formally adopted the Regulation on 25 June 2026 — just ahead of Trump’s 4 July deadline. Cypriot Commerce Minister Michael Damianos, who handled the file under the Cyprus Presidency, framed the package as combining “stable and predictable trade flows” with the EU’s ability to react “swiftly and proportionately” when the deal is not respected. The texts will enter into force the day after publication in the Official Journal of the EU. [finance.yahoo.com], [exportcomp…edaily.com]

What it means for multinationals

For groups with significant US-EU intercompany and third-party flows, the practical implications are:

Import side (EU) – immediate duty savings on US-origin industrial inputs (steel/aluminium products, chemicals, semiconductor equipment, pharma). Customs masters and ERP origin determinations should be updated to apply the new 0% rate and TRQ allocations, mindful that origin is determined on a non-preferential basis (UCC Art. 59-60) during the transitional period. [kmlz.de]
Export side (US) – the 15% ceiling stabilises landed cost calculations but remains a major hit (VDA estimates billions per year for German automakers alone). Transfer-pricing, customs-value and First Sale for Export strategies should be revisited. [cryptobriefing.com]
Compliance horizon – the sunset (2029), steel/aluminium trigger (Dec 2026), and import-surge safeguard all create legal uncertainty risks; companies should monitor Commission quarterly reports and prepare contingency scenarios in case preferences are suspended. [confection…uction.com]
Indirect-tax interaction – higher customs duties feed into VAT taxable value at importation; the 15% US tariff likewise affects the landed cost and VAT base for EU goods re-imported via US distribution structures. Worth flagging to iTax and customs teams during the 2027 budget cycle. [kmlz.de]