Hungarian Prime Minister Orban criticizes European Commission President Von der Leyen, labeling her as a "lightweight" negotiator in discussions about the customs deal.
US-EU Customs Agreement: A Compromise with Controversy
A new customs agreement between U.S. President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, finalized on July 27, 2025, has set a 15% import tariff on most EU goods entering the United States. This tariff applies to industrial machinery, textiles, automotive components, and consumer goods, but excludes strategic categories such as airplanes, aircraft parts, and semiconductor equipment, which benefit from a zero-for-zero tariff arrangement.
The agreement maintains the existing 50% tariffs on EU steel and aluminum imports but opens discussions for possibly converting those tariffs into a quota-based system and includes plans for a U.S.–EU "Metals Alliance" to address supply and pricing issues tied to non-market economies like China.
The deal has several implications. It avoids the worst-case scenario of higher tariffs and potential trade escalation, which some European leaders, like Germany’s Friedrich Merz, consider a vital de-escalation step. It also secures significant U.S. military equipment sales to the EU, broadening commercial ties beyond tariffs. Furthermore, it strengthens cooperation on digital trade barriers, economic security, supply chain resilience, and addresses non-market policies of third countries.
However, the agreement is not without controversy. Several European leaders, notably French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou, criticized the deal, perceiving it as a concession that undermines EU unity and sovereignty, terming it a "dark day" and a form of submission.
Regarding criticism from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, no direct mention of him criticizing von der Leyen or the negotiations appeared in the search results. However, Orban has historically voiced skepticism and opposition to policies he views as compromising national sovereignty or favoring Western European interests disproportionately. It is plausible that Orban's criticism could center on the perceived imbalance or political strategy in the EU’s approach to these U.S. negotiations, but specific details or direct quotes were not found in the current sources.
In summary, the agreement between Trump and von der Leyen is facing criticism for its perceived imbalance. The balance struck by the agreement appears as a pragmatic compromise to avoid trade war escalation, though it has provoked political controversy within the EU. Viktor Orban’s criticism may relate to broader EU institutional disputes rather than the agreement’s trade details, but this was not specified in the retrieved documents.
- The US-EU customs agreement, despite being a compromise to avoid a trade war escalation, has sparked controversies within the EU community over its perceived imbalance, and some political leaders like French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou have criticized it as a concession that undermines EU unity and sovereignty.
- In the realm of policy-and-legislation and politics, the new customs agreement, with its 15% import tariff on most EU goods, has brought war-and-conflicts-related debates into general-news discussions, as critics like Francois Bayrou argue that the agreement could potentially harm the EU's sovereignty and unity.
