The European Union has agreed to fast-track trade talks with the U.S. following President Donald Trump’s threats of yet further sanctions against the region.
The European Commission made the announcement Monday following a phone call between Trump and EU President Ursula von der Leyen. Trump had threatened last week to impose a further 50% tariff on European imports beginning June 1, but he has now agreed to delay the plan to July 9 to give time for negotiations.
“They agreed both to fast-track the negotiations and stay in close contact,” commission spokeswoman Paula Pinho told reporters Monday. 
“These negotiations are complex, and so they are taking time,” she added. “There’s now also a new impetus for the negotiations and we will take it from there.”
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Trump announced the tariff extension in a Truth Social post on Sunday, saying that he had a productive phone call with von der Leyen.
“I agreed to the extension — July 9, 2025 — It was my privilege to do so,” Trump wrote. “The Commission President said that talks will begin rapidly. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
While speaking to reporters on Sunday at Morristown Municipal Airport in New Jersey, Trump said von der Leyen called him and said she wants to have a “serious negotiation.”
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“July 9th was the date she requested. … And I agreed to do that,” Trump said. “[von der Leyen] said we will rapidly get together and see if we can work something out.”
Trade talks had stalled between the U.S. and Europe following Vice President J.D. Vance’s meeting with von der Leyen and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on May 18.
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Trump’s social media post threatening further sanctions came just a day after the meeting.
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U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also said last week that Trump was aiming to “light a fire” under the EU for trade talks.
“I would hope that this would light a fire under the EU, because… I’ve said before, [the] EU has a collective action problem here,” Bessent said on “America’s Newsroom”. “It’s 27 countries, but they’re being represented by this one group in Brussels. So some of the feedback that I’ve been getting is that the underlying countries don’t even know what the EU is negotiating on their behalf.”
Fox Business’ Sophia Compton contributed to this report.
