European lawmakers have formally halted the US trade agreement ratification process, challenging President Trump’s attempt to link tariff policy with his territorial ambitions for Greenland. The suspension represents Brussels’ most concrete material action against what European leaders have described as political blackmail.
Bernd Lange, head of the European Parliament’s trade committee, established clear terms for resuming negotiations, stating that Greenland-related threats must cease entirely before compromise becomes possible. The frozen agreement had been set to eliminate tariffs on many American industrial exports to Europe.
In a strategic move demonstrating Brussels’ nuanced approach, the European Union has explicitly preserved its commitment to purchasing $750 billion worth of American energy. Officials confirmed this substantial bilateral energy partnership operates on completely separate terms from the disputed trade agreement. Lange emphasized the energy deal remains unaffected by the ratification suspension, effectively insulating this critical cooperation from the political dispute while still allowing Brussels to take a firm stance against coercion.
Diplomatic relations showed visible strain when European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen altered her schedule after addressing parliament. She skipped a Davos detour where she might have encountered Trump, returning instead immediately to Brussels for emergency summit preparations.
The Thursday evening emergency gathering will address the full spectrum of potential countermeasures available to Brussels. European leaders will consider implementing €93 billion worth of counter-tariffs and potentially activating an unused anti-coercion instrument originally conceived to limit Chinese pressure, which could restrict American companies from European market access.