• The US and EU finalize a trade deal imposing a 15% tariff on most European imports.
• The deal is seen by many European leaders, particularly from France and Germany, as unbalanced and a step towards submission.
• European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called it a "huge deal," while Trump heralded it as the "biggest deal ever made."
• France's leadership has vocally criticized the agreement, advocating for a stronger stance against the US.
• Despite backlash, other EU leaders expressed relief at avoiding a higher 30% tariff and potential trade conflict.

The European Union and the United States have reached a controversial trade agreement on July 27, 2025, setting a 15% tariff on most EU goods. This deal comes after months of negotiations, notably avoiding Trump's threatened 30% tariff, yet has sparked considerable backlash from European leaders, particularly in France. French Prime Minister Franҫois Bayrou condemned the deal as a "dark day" for Europe, denoting it as a submission to US demands, while other leaders like Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed concerns about the negative impact on their economies, according to Channel NewsAsia, India Times, and The Jakarta Post.

President Trump described the agreement as the "biggest deal ever made," emphasizing that the EU has agreed to purchase $750 billion worth of US energy goods and make an additional $600 billion investment in the US. USC Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen noted that the deal would provide stability amid uncertainty, while critics highlighted the lack of balance in concessions made, according to Newsweek and India Times.

French officials urged for retaliatory measures against US digital services and criticized the EU's approach as weak. Bayrou argued that the agreement represented a dangerous precedent for future negotiations with the US, while EU trade negotiator Maros Šefčovič defended the deal as the best achievable under challenging circumstances, stating that avoiding a trade war is paramount for economic stability and security, as reported by Le Monde and BBC.

Though the deal's announcement was celebrated in financial markets as a sign of reduced uncertainty, underlying concerns about its implications linger among EU member states, particularly regarding competitiveness and future negotiations on tariffs and trade conditions, according to South China Morning Post, The Hill, and Newsweek.