--- title: Trump's EU Trade Talks Become Contentious description: The European Union and U.S. are reviewing their trade ties, spurred by U.S. accusations that the bloc is duping American businesses. canonical: https://time.com/5430547/trump-european-union-trade-talks/ author: TIME article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-10-21T16:34:11.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:53:07.576Z article:section: Politics og:title: EU Trade Talks Become Contentious as President Trump Threatens Tariffs og:description: A descent into an all-out trade war was averted in July og:url: https://time.com/5430547/trump-european-union-trade-talks/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte67166b4c5e6dbb0/69893d1c8fd2ee1ad735cedc/trump-european-union-trade-talks.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5009 og:image:height: 2818 og:image:alt: trump-european-union-trade-talks og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: EU Trade Talks Become Contentious as President Trump Threatens Tariffs twitter:description: A descent into an all-out trade war was averted in July twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte67166b4c5e6dbb0/69893d1c8fd2ee1ad735cedc/trump-european-union-trade-talks.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # EU Trade Talks Become Contentious as President Trump Threatens Tariffs > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=4cd48531-b81b-441a-9a1e-64ce18c0a9f9&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Daily | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Tuesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Monday to Saturday (3x per week) | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | Source: TIME, August 2026. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=4cd48531-b81b-441a-9a1e-64ce18c0a9f9&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=4cd48531-b81b-441a-9a1e-64ce18c0a9f9&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (daily health), Worth Your Time (culture, twice weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, three times a week), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ## Video: Harley-Davidson is Moving Some Production Overseas [Watch (HLS stream): Harley-Davidson is Moving Some Production Overseas](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/eAF9fKPo.m3u8) (1:16)  _Published 2018-06-26. A move made to avoid EU regulatory tariffs._ by [Richard Bravo, Jenny Leonard and Shawn Donnan / Bloomberg](https://time.com/author/bloomberg/) ## Richard Bravo, Jenny Leonard and Shawn Donnan / Bloomberg Contributor Oct 21, 2018 4:34 PM UTC  President Donald Trump disembarks from Air Force One, in Andrews Air Force Base, Md., on Oct. 20, 2018. President Donald Trump disembarks from Air Force One, in Andrews Air Force Base, Md., on Oct. 20, 2018. Carolyn Kaster—AP/REX/Shutterstock by [Richard Bravo, Jenny Leonard and Shawn Donnan / Bloomberg](https://time.com/author/bloomberg/) ## Richard Bravo, Jenny Leonard and Shawn Donnan / Bloomberg Contributor Oct 21, 2018 4:34 PM UTC (Bloomberg) — The European Union and U.S. are reviewing their trade ties, spurred by U.S. accusations that the bloc is duping American businesses. But don’t expect a complete overhaul of their more than $1 trillion commercial relationship anytime soon. Even though President Donald Trump notified Congress Oct. 16 that the U.S. intends to begin official trade talks with the 28-nation EU, formal negotiations are yet to get underway and quarreling between the two sides signals an arduous process lays ahead. The Trump administration in June hit the EU with steel and aluminum tariffs, prompting rapid retaliation from Brussels against iconic American products like bourbon whiskey and Harley-Davidson motorcycles. A descent into an all-out trade war was averted in July when European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Trump agreed to a Rose Garden truce and an outline for limited talks. The resulting discussions between the historic allies remain tense, however. And limited, with the EU insisting the sensitive subject of agriculture be left out and Washington excluding any discussions on the trans-Atlantic trade in cars. Hanging heavily over the talks is Trump’s threat to impose a tariff of up to 25 percent on imports of cars and parts into the U.S. aimed largely at Germany, the EU’s largest economy, and companies like BMW AG and Daimler AG. ### Car Tax Trump has agreed not to go ahead with the new auto import taxes as long as negotiations are underway. European officials remain wary, however. And the U.S.’s heavy-handed approach signals how hard it will be for the two sides to come to terms on delicate trade issues, according to Peter Chase, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund. “There’s not a lot of goodwill there and goodwill is a necessary part of any trade negotiation,” Chase said by phone. Rufus Yerxa, president of the Washington-based National Foreign Trade Council and a former senior U.S. trade official, said a comprehensive transatlantic deal would require “some painful concessions on both sides” that it was not clear either side was willing to make. “We have our sacred cows and they have their sacred cows,” Yerxa said, citing as examples the U.S.’s 25 percent tariff on light trucks and European protections on the financial services sector. “Obviously business wants a big deal with Europe, but a big deal with Europe is a hard thing to achieve.” ### Zero Tariffs While the Trump administration on Oct. 16 notified Congress, Cecilia Malmstrom, the EU’s chief trade negotiator, has not yet sought the mandate from EU member states she needs to begin formal talks. Lower-level officials from both sides are due to meet in Washington this week to prepare for a meeting between U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Malmstrom for late November. The lack of an EU mandate represents a potential departure from the July agreement, when the EU and U.S. pledged to work “toward zero tariffs, zero non-tariff barriers, and zero subsidies on non-auto industrial goods.” France and other member states remain divided over the scope of the negotiations, according to two European officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Instead, the EU is focusing on better regulatory cooperation with the U.S. for industries including autos, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. While the path wouldn’t require a formal negotiating mandate from EU countries and both sides spent years discussing it during the Obama administration’s push for a broad Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, or TTIP, it’s still a complicated process that will take time. ### Quick Wins “The administration wants quick wins,” Chase said. “They’re not going to get any quick wins on the regulatory front.” An EU official, who declined to be identified discussing private matters, said that the two sides were looking at a rapid resolution on some regulatory matters by repackaging a number of TTIP annexes that were close to completion when those talks ended. The goal: A quick win to present to Trump to secure a further delay in the imposition of auto tariffs. In an EU document seen by Bloomberg News, the bloc appears interested in discussing stronger standards for new technologies including cars. Lighthizer has declined to discuss auto standards or the lowering of auto tariffs, according to two people familiar with the talks. ### ‘Playing Hardball’ Malmstrom last week complained the U.S. had yet to come up with proposals to lower tariffs on industrial goods, declaring “the ball is in their court.” A day later, U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross lashed out at Malmstrom and accused the EU of dragging its feet. “We really need tangible progress,” Ross said on Oct. 17 during a visit to Brussels. “The president’s patience is not unlimited.” European officials, meanwhile, insist they are not willing to bend to what they see as Trump’s worrisome demands in other trade negotiations. Among those are quotas on steel imports extracted from South Korea and the strict auto content rules and bar on future trade deals with China that Trump secured in a revised Nafta with Canada and Mexico. Yerxa said Brussels is also unlikely to bend if U.S. negotiators don’t agree to withdraw the Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum, which invoke national security concerns and are being threatened for car imports. “I don’t think the negotiations would go very far if the U.S. is not very clear about being willing to back off of 232 completely,” Yerxa said. That appears unlikely. Trump and his negotiators believe firmly in the power of tariffs as leverage. Yet in the case of the EU that may be a miscalculation. “The people in Washington think that playing hardball gets them something without giving something,” Chase said. “That could work with a lot smaller economies, but the U.S. and the EU are basically the same size.” ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5430547/trump-european-union-trade-talks/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5430547/trump-european-union-trade-talks/"},"headline":"EU Trade Talks Become Contentious as President Trump Threatens Tariffs","datePublished":"2018-10-21T16:34:11.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T07:53:07.576Z","description":"A descent into an all-out trade war was averted in July","url":"https://time.com/5430547/trump-european-union-trade-talks/","keywords":["trade","Bloomberg","onetime"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte67166b4c5e6dbb0/69893d1c8fd2ee1ad735cedc/trump-european-union-trade-talks.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Richard Bravo, Jenny Leonard and Shawn Donnan / Bloomberg"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte67166b4c5e6dbb0/69893d1c8fd2ee1ad735cedc/trump-european-union-trade-talks.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"trump-european-union-trade-talks","caption":"2018 Election Trump, Andrews Air Force Base, USA - 20 Oct 2018","creditText":"Carolyn Kaster—AP/REX/Shutterstock","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/trade/","name":"trade"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5430547/trump-european-union-trade-talks/","name":"EU Trade Talks Become Contentious as President Trump Threatens Tariffs"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Harley-Davidson is Moving Some Production Overseas","description":"A move made to avoid EU regulatory tariffs.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/eAF9fKPo/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2018-06-26T19:33:55.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/eAF9fKPo.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/5430547/trump-european-union-trade-talks/","duration":"PT1M16S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/5430547/trump-european-union-trade-talks/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```