Reactions to the recent customs agreement between European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and US President Donald Trump have been mixed, with prominent figures expressing both cautious optimism and strong criticism.
Manfred Weber, leader of the European People’s Party, characterized the deal as “merely damage limitation”. Speaking to the Funke-Mediengruppe newspapers, Weber emphasized the need for the EU to continue pursuing trade agreements with other global regions and underscored the continued importance of a fully integrated single market. While acknowledging that the outcome is “certainly better than many had feared” and offering a degree of planning security for European businesses, Weber’s statement highlighted a sense of continued strategic vulnerability.
Conversely, Anton Hofreiter, Chairman of the European Affairs Committee in the Bundestag, voiced a more negative assessment. He stated unequivocally that the agreement “must never become reality” and called on the European Parliament and the Commission to clearly signal that such arrangements are unsustainable.
Hofreiter expressed concerns that the agreement’s price is too high, arguing that the EU demonstrated a lack of leverage in negotiations with the US. He warned that the deal leaves the EU susceptible to future pressure and diverts substantial funds to the United States, effectively undermining European independence and sovereignty.
Highlighting a broader security implication, Hofreiter cautioned that repeated displays of weakness could embolden authoritarian regimes and create a heightened risk to European security.