German Chancellor Friedrich Murch stressed yesterday (Sunday) that the higher customs duties announced by US President Donald Trump to be imposed from this week on vehicles imported into the United States from the European Union are aimed at all member states, not Germany in particular.
The target is “all of Europe”, Merts insisted in a statement on German public broadcaster ARD, saying the Republican was “right to be somewhat disappointed” because the framework agreement struck between the US and the EU last August is not being implemented. Resistance to the deal continues to be raised in the European Parliament, he recalled.
Chancellor Merts added that Mr Trump seems to be reacting impatiently as new conditions are raised by the European side. “The Americans are ready, the Europeans are not,” he said. “So I hope we can reach an agreement as soon as possible.”
In August 2025, US President Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a framework agreement on bilateral trade that set a 15 percent cap on customs duties applied to most goods of European origin imported into the US market, including vehicles and their spare parts.
In August 2025, US President Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a framework agreement on bilateral trade that set a 15 percent cap on customs duties applied to most goods of European origin imported into the US market, including vehicles and their parts.
Donald Trump, however, announced on Friday his intention to move to increase customs duties on cars and trucks imported from the EU to the US to 25% from this week, saying Brussels was not abiding by the agreement.
