The EU expects that the US will lower tariffs on steel and aluminum products within a few weeks.
February 26, 2026
Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter, that EU officials expect the United States to lower tariffs on processed steel and aluminum products in the coming weeks. This move may alleviate a major point of friction in transatlantic trade relations. The report also noted that the planned adjustment will not affect tariffs on raw forms of metals.
This potential tariff adjustment comes at a time when broader trade negotiations are facing new uncertainties. Previously, a ruling by the US Supreme Court limited the government's ability to use emergency powers to impose comprehensive "reciprocal" tariffs, casting a shadow over the prospects of reaching a comprehensive agreement between Washington and Brussels.
Since 2018, US President Trump has imposed high tariffs on steel and aluminum products from multiple countries around the world on the grounds of national security, triggering strong reactions and retaliatory tariffs from major economies such as the EU. Although the two sides have held numerous rounds of negotiations in an attempt to ease this trade dispute, the progress has been limited. This time, the EU expects that the US will lower tariffs on processed products containing steel and aluminum, which is regarded as a positive sign, indicating that the two sides may be seeking to reach compromises in some areas.
Analysts point out that reducing tariffs on downstream products not only helps alleviate the export pressure on relevant industries in the EU, but also aligns with the interests of some manufacturing sectors in the United States. However, the core tariff barriers on primary metals still exist, indicating that the trade differences between the two sides have not been fundamentally resolved. Moreover, changes in the domestic political and legal environment in the United States have also added uncertainties to the trade negotiations. The Supreme Court's ruling has limited the president's unilateral power in trade policies, and the achievement of any major trade agreements in the future may require more support from Congress, which undoubtedly makes the negotiation process more complicated.
Neither the US Trade Representative Office nor the European Commission immediately commented on this report. The market is closely watching the further developments of the situation. If the news is true, this would be an important step towards easing the US-EU trade relations. However, given that there are still many differences between the two sides on issues such as aviation subsidies and digital taxes, the road to a comprehensive resolution of the trade disputes remains long.
