EU to extend suspension of €93 billion retaliatory trade measures against US by six months

The European Commission said on Friday it would propose extending for another six months the suspension of an EU package of retaliatory trade measures against the United States worth 93 billion euros ($109.19 billion), which would otherwise take effect on February 7.

The measures were prepared in the first half of last year during negotiations between the European Union and the United States on a trade deal, and were put on hold for six months after both sides agreed to a joint statement on trade in August 2025.

US President Donald Trump’s threat last week to impose new tariffs on eight European countries, linked to Washington’s push to acquire Greenland, had raised the prospect that the EU could activate the retaliatory package if the threat was carried out.

“With the removal of the tariff threat by the US, we can now return to the important business of implementing the joint EU-US statement,” European Commission spokesman Olof Gill said.

Gill said the Commission would soon propose rolling over the suspended countermeasures, which are due to expire on February 7, for a further six months. He added that while the measures would remain suspended, they could be reactivated at any point if necessary.