EU delays vote on trade agreement with US due to Trump's threats regarding Greenland
Politico stated this in an article, Ukrinform reports.
As noted, MEPs are due to hold a vote on Jan. 26, laying out the European Parliament's position on lifting tariffs on U.S. industrial goods – one of the key planks of a deal struck between Brussels and Washington last summer. But some MEPs, angry at Trump's behavior, don't want the vote to go ahead, thereby freezing the decision on lifting the tariffs.
At a meeting of lawmakers leading work on this issue, it was decided to postpone the decision on holding the vote, pending the outcome of important meetings between Washington, Nuuk, and Copenhagen that are due to take place later on Wednesday.
"We are not in a position to move the agreement to a vote today," said leading trade lawmaker Karin Karlsbro of the liberal Renew Europe party, adding that a clear U.S. position on Greenland is needed.
Chair of the International Trade Committee Bernd Lange told Politico that discussions would continue next Wednesday.
The publication notes that political groups are divided on how to respond to Trump's threats to annex European territory. The Socialists and Democrats, to which Lange belongs, are inclined to freeze the vote on the trade agreement.
"One camp is more like, OK, let's cooperate with the U.S. in order to get the maximum out, and there's the other camp that says, OK we also need to show teeth and not give in on everything," explained Green Party lawmaker Anna Cavazzini, who chairs the Internal Market Committee.
Under the agreement concluded last July, the EU committed to adopt legislation abolishing tariffs on industrial goods and lobsters from the United States in exchange for Washington lowering tariffs on European cars.
The deal is considered unfair to the EU, but lawmakers were prepared to accept it in exchange for Trump's commitment to protect European security. As threats regarding the annexation of Greenland continue, some no longer see any point in the agreement, the publication says.
As Ukrinform reported, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is discussing the possibility of one-time cash payments to Greenland residents in order to persuade them to separate from Denmark and join the United States.
In his most recent comments, Trump said he was ready to take control of Greenland "the hard way" if the authorities do not agree to transfer the island to the United States.
On January 12, Republican Congressman Randy Fine introduced a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives titled "Greenland Annexation and Statehood Act."
Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said that the island does not want to be part of the United States of America. In turn, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said that Denmark is facing "unacceptable pressure" from its closest ally regarding Greenland, referring to the United States. She emphasized that Denmark "is not seeking conflict, but its position is clear: Greenland is not for sale". She added that NATO must "defend Greenland in the same way as every millimeter of the Alliance's territory".
On Wednesday, a meeting will take place between the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland and U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said.
Greenland is an autonomous constituent country within the Kingdom of Denmark, which has had self-government since 2009, while Denmark is responsible for defense and foreign policy. Geographically, the island belongs to North America, but politically it is part of Europe.
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