US President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that he would pause his planned 50% tariffs on the European Union until July 9. That agreement came after a call Sunday with Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission.

“Good call with @POTUS,” Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X. “The EU and US share the world’s most consequential and close trade relationship.”

“Europe is ready to advance talks swiftly and decisively,” she wrote, adding: “To reach a good deal, we would need the time until July 9.”

Brussels and the United States have been negotiating in a bid to avert a transatlantic trade war, and had agreed to extend the June 1st deadline on the 50% tariff until July.

Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social network, highlighting that he has agreed to extend the deadline to 9 July 2025.

The US president stated that Ursula von der Leyen had expressed a desire to enter into negotiations and proposed 9 July as a potential date.

“I received a call today from Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, requesting an extension on the June 1st deadline on the 50% Tariff with respect to Trade and the European Union. I agreed to the extension-July 9, 2025,” Trump posted regarding his phone call with the European Commission president on his Truth Social platform, adding that it was his “privilege” to agree to the “extension.”

Von der Leyen said “talks will begin rapidly,” Trump added in his post.

Trump’s announcement signifies a retreat from his Friday statement, when he declared that discussions with the EU were “going nowhere” and, as a consequence, he would implement a “straight 50% tariff on the European Union, starting on June 1, 2025.”

The president cited unsatisfactory progress in talks with Brussels. This was the first publicly acknowledged phone conversation between the two leaders since Trump took office.

“Their powerful Trade Barriers, Vat Taxes, ridiculous Corporate Penalties, Non-Monetary Trade Barriers, Monetary Manipulations, unfair and unjustified lawsuits against Americans Companies, and more, have led to a Trade Deficit with the U.S. of more than $250,000,000 a year, a number which is totally unacceptable,” Trump said. “…. Therefore, I am recommending a straight 50% Tariff on the European Union, starting on June 1, 2025.”

While negotiations with the Trump administration continue, the European Commission is now preparing a new response if it fails to convince the US president to curb tariffs on European goods.

The European Commission has formally launched a public consultation on a list of US imports which could become subject to EU countermeasures.

The consulted list covers imports from the US worth €95bn, covering a wide range of industrial and agricultural products.

The Commission is also consulting on possible restrictions on certain EU exports of steel scrap and chemical products to the US worth €4.4bn. This consultation is designed to look at both US universal tariffs and tariffs on cars and car parts.

The consultation process will remain open until 10 June.