Economist and trade‑policy expert Gabriel Felbermayr argues the EU should negotiate a fresh customs agreement with the United States. He says the current political climate gives Europe a stronger bargaining position against President Donald Trump and the U.S. administration. “The probability is quite high that Europe will secure a better deal” he told the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”.
Felbermayr rejects the July 2025 pact that was on the table. “If the European Parliament ratifies that agreement now, it would make us a complicit accomplice in Trump’s tariff policy. We should not look back on that deal. A new negotiation is required” he insists. The earlier summer proposal would have guaranteed a 15 % tariff for the EU and 0 % for the United States, but the Parliament ultimately postponed its ratification.
On the U.S. side, Felbermayr welcomed a recent Supreme Court ruling that declared a portion of Trump’s tariffs unlawful. He sees the decision as a “super‑good news for the world” and evidence that the United States’ rule‑of‑law institutions are more resilient than previously thought. He hopes similar stability will extend to other institutions, especially the U.S. Federal Reserve. Felbermayr also predicts a rise in the euro’s value.
Regarding Germany’s sluggish economy, Felbermayr cautions that “the way out of the valley of tears will not come through exports”. Instead, he argues, the strength of the European Union itself must be consistently reinforced.