EU-US customs agreement erodes Europe's standing in trade relations
Ines Schwerdtner, Chairwoman of the Left party in Germany, criticized the recently signed EU-US trade agreement on Friday, deeming it a "disaster for Europe."
Schwerdtner believes the agreement makes it clear to everyone how dependent the EU is on the USA. She argues that increased purchases of energy and defense goods from the USA would further deepen these dependencies, a concern she has repeatedly expressed in the past.
The agreement does not contain sufficient benefits for Europe, according to Schwerdtner. She claims that the US President Donald Trump is given additional room for maneuver due to the deal, a sentiment echoed in her criticisms of the federal government's role in the negotiation outcome.
Schwerdtner is calling for an independent industrial policy for the EU, advocating for a stronger internal market and better wage development in the member states. She believes the German side, led by Friedrich Merz, wanted a quick conclusion to the negotiations, a move she believes paved the way for the agreement's perceived capitulation to Washington.
High US tariffs continue to apply to key European sectors, without any real concessions from the Americans in return, according to Schwerdtner. If Europe does not take up the agreed quantities, Trump could cancel the deal at any time, she warns.
Schwerdtner's criticisms of the EU-US trade agreement are part of a broader stance by the Left party, which generally criticizes such deals for prioritizing corporate interests over social, environmental, and democratic concerns. Common Left party critiques include fears that such agreements undermine labor rights, environmental regulations, and public services, while enhancing investor protections at the expense of public sovereignty.
However, specific criticisms of the EU-US Trade Agreement by Schwerdtner, based on the provided data, are not directly cited in the search results. The available data references her criticism of government budgets, defense spending, tax fraud issues, and climate policy expenditures but does not mention specific points on the EU-US Trade Agreement.
- Ines Schwerdtner, criticizing the EU-US trade agreement, stated that it lacks benefits for Europe and gives US President Donald Trump more room for maneuver, which she attributes to a concern she has expressed repeatedly about deepening dependencies.
- Schwerdtner, as part of her broader stance, also criticizes such trade agreements for potentially undermining labor rights, environmental regulations, and public services, while enhancing investor protections at the expense of public sovereignty, but specific criticisms regarding the EU-US Trade Agreement were not directly found in the provided data.
