The European Parliament has postponed its decision on whether to resume work on the EU–US trade deal, pushing the matter to next week. Lawmakers had earlier paused the approval process amid political tensions between the two sides.
Bernd Lange, chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade, confirmed that no decision was taken to restart regular legislative procedures. He said the Parliament’s negotiating team will meet on February 4 to review developments and decide on the next steps.
The approval process was put on hold in January following concerns over potential U.S. tariff measures and broader political disagreements. Although tensions later eased after talks between the two sides, the Parliament has chosen to wait before moving forward.
The proposed trade deal, agreed upon last year, aims to reduce trade barriers between the EU and the United States. It includes the removal of EU tariffs on U.S. industrial goods and limited market access for U.S. agricultural products, while the U.S. would apply a tariff cap on most EU exports. The agreement is seen as a significant step toward stabilising transatlantic trade relations.