The leader of the Left Bloc, Mariana Mortágua, criticized the tariff agreement made on Sunday between the United States and the European Union, which includes “15% cusoms tariffs on European exports,” stating that “it makes us pay the US for its weapons and fossil energy to protect the German industry.”
“Von der Leyen initially brought together almost everything, from the far-right to the Greens. She has now made a tariff deal with Trump, which makes us pay the US for its weapons and fossil energy to protect the German industry,” she wrote on the social network X (formerly Twitter).
She added: “The ‘European autonomy’ was a summer fling and ended before August.”
Von der Leyen começou por juntar quase tudo, da extrema-direita aos Verdes. Fez agora um acordo tarifário com Trump, que nos põe a pagar aos EUA as suas armas e energia fóssil para proteger a indústria alemã. A “autonomia europeia” foi um namoro de verão e acabou antes de agosto.
— mariana mortágua (@MRMortagua) July 28, 2025
What’s at stake?
The United States and the European Union (EU) have reached a trade agreement, setting tariffs at 15%, confirmed by Donald Trump after meeting with Ursula von der Leyen in Turnberry, Scotland.
The US and EU “have reached an agreement,” announced the American President at the end of a meeting with the President of the European Commission.
“It was a very interesting negotiation. I think it will be great for both parties,” added the Republican, indicating that the agreement includes the application of 15% cusoms tariffs on European exports.
Donald Trump met with Ursula von der Leyen in Turnberry, Scotland.
Tomásia Sousa with Lusa | 18:51 – 27/07/2025
Following the agreement established on Sunday night between the United States and the European Union (EU), which includes the application of 15% cusoms tariffs on exports starting from August 1, several European leaders welcomed the package, which they see as protecting the “fundamental interests” of the European bloc.
The United States and the European Union agreed on Sunday to apply 15% customs tariffs on exports starting from August 1. Here is what the pact encompasses (and the reactions).
Notícias ao Minuto with Lusa | 08:08 – 28/07/2025
What does the agreement include?
The bilateral agreement includes a fixed and maximum 15% tariff on European exports to the United States, instead of the 30% Washington threatened to apply starting from August 1 if there was no consensus, informed Von der Leyen after her meeting with the American president at his golf complex in Turnberry, in western Scotland.
Those 15% will be applied “to most sectors, such as automobiles, semiconductors, and pharmaceuticals,” specified the head of the European Commission.
The information contradicts what Donald Trump stated earlier, who claimed that pharmaceuticals were excluded from the negotiation.
Von der Leyen also announced that “zero tariffs” were agreed upon, by both parties, on a series of “strategic products,” including those in the aerospace sector and its components, certain chemicals, agricultural products, natural resources, and raw materials. The head of the European Commission mentioned that they will continue working to add more items to this list.
Furthermore, the President of the European Council encouraged taking advantage of “this result to continue strengthening the EU’s competitiveness and expanding our global trade network.”
In this regard, Von der Leyen highlighted that the EU is establishing new trade alliances worldwide, extending the 76 it already has.
“We have concluded negotiations in recent months with Mercosur, Mexico, and Indonesia. In an unstable world, Europe is a reliable partner. And we will continue to offer agreements that help safeguard our prosperity,” she emphasized.
The pact includes a commitment from the EU to purchase $750 billion worth of energy from the United States and invest an additional $600 billion in that country, besides increasing its acquisitions of American military equipment, as explained earlier by Trump.
