The decision means that the tariff agreement, previously reached between the EU and the US, will not be further processed for the time being. European politicians want to send a clear political signal to Washington with this.
Moreover, the EU will work on its own Defense Strategy, separate from NATO (read: more independent from the United States), said Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
These steps are directly linked to recent threats from President Donald Trump. They have led to increasing tension between the European Union and the United States. The trade agreement in question was concluded in July. Without approval from the European Parliament, the agreement cannot enter into force.
The suspension is described as a deliberate and visible step. The European Parliament wants to show that it does not regard the threats separately from the trade relationship between the two parties.
Commission President Von der Leyen has explicitly placed the Greenland issue within her security and defense approach. She states that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Greenland are non-negotiable. This position is taken without reservation and forms a permanent part of the European stance on this matter.
In parallel, the European Union emphasizes the importance of a strengthened own security and defense role. The development of strategic autonomy is cited as a guiding principle for European policy.
This political course is not presented as an alternative to existing military alliances. NATO remains an explicit reference point within the European security architecture, Von der Leyen said.
At the same time, it is recognized that Europe's security situation is no longer considered a given. That premise forms the basis for the tougher tone and renewed attention to security and defense.