EU relations with the United States

Trade and investment

EU-US joint statement

Following the EU-US joint statement of 21 August 2025, the Council  formally adopted in June 2026 two regulations enacting the EU's tariff reductions.

The regulations remove the remaining customs duties on US industrial goods, grant preferential access for certain agricultural products, and extend the suspension of duties on lobster imports (from all countries, not only the US). They are accompanied by reinforced guardrails to protect EU producers, businesses and workers.

The regulations include a safeguard mechanism, a suspension mechanism allowing the EU to react  if the US fails to respect its commitments, and a sunset clause under which the main regulation will apply until the end of 2029 and the lobster regulation will expire in July 2030 unless further action is taken.

The regulations will enter into force on the day following their publication in the Official Journal. The regulation concerning lobster imports will apply retroactively from 1 August 2025.

• EU-US trade: Council and Parliament strike a deal to implement the tariff elements of the joint statement (press release, 20 May 2026)
• Joint statement on a United States-European Union framework on an agreement on reciprocal, fair and balanced trade (European Commission)
• EU-US trade: Council gives final approval for the tariff commitments under joint statement (press release, 25 June 2026)

Investments 

Mutual EU and US investments are the largest in the world and are a substantial driver of the transatlantic relationship. In 2024, mutual foreign direct investments (FDIs) in stocks exceeded €4.8 trillion. This is almost equal to the value of the entire economies of France and Spain combined.

Of all the EU companies which invest abroad, around one third invest in the US, and of all foreign investments in the EU, around one third come from the US.

Total US investments in the EU are almost four times higher than in the Asia-Pacific region. EU foreign direct investment in the US is around ten times the amount of EU investment in India and China put together.

Bilateral trade and investment support millions of jobs in the EU and the United States. US exports of goods and services to the EU support 2.3 million jobs in the US, and EU companies' investments in the US employ 3.4 million people.

Energy

Close transatlantic cooperation played a crucial role in ensuring the EU's energy security after Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. The EU has replaced some of Russia's gas imports with US liquefied natural gas (LNG).

In 2025, the EU imported over 82.9 billion cubic metres (bcm) of LNG from the US. This amounts to 26.4% of total EU gas imports and almost 58% of LNG imports.

EU imports of gas

The two transatlantic partners cooperate within the EU-US Energy Council, a forum for coordination on strategic energy issues of mutual interest and for cooperation on research and development.

• Where does the EU’s gas come from?
• Energy prices and security of supply

Tackling global security challenges

The EU and the US work together to tackle global security challenges such as terrorism, violent extremism, nuclear weapons proliferation and transnational crime. They also maintain close security and defence ties.

The EU and the US have invested $600 billion worldwide via the G7 Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, including through the EU’s Global Gateway.

Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine

Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine constitutes a manifest violation of the UN Charter and of international law. It is a major challenge, not only to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, but also to the rules-based international order.

In close cooperation with their G7 partners, the EU and the US support Ukraine and its people and are implementing a range of measures to increase the pressure on Russia to stop its war of aggression against Ukraine.

Solidarity with Ukraine

Sanctions against Russia

The EU, the US and other like-minded partners have imposed massive and unprecedented sanctions against Russia in response to its war of aggression against Ukraine.

The measures are designed to weaken Russia's economic base, deprive it of critical technologies and markets and significantly curtail its ability to wage war.

EU sanctions target Russia’s financial, trade, energy, transport, technology and defence sectors, as well as services provided to Russia or to Russian nationals. They also target individuals and entities responsible for actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty or independence of Ukraine.

Sanctioned individuals include the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, and ministers, governors and local politicians, members of the Russian State Duma and of the Russian Security Council, propagandists, high-ranking officials and military personnel.

The EU coordinates its sanctions policy closely with the US and other G7 partners to increase their impact and effectiveness.

• EU sanctions against Russia
• US sanctions against Russia (US government)

People-to-people cooperation

The EU and the US foster a number of people-to-people exchanges and academic programmes, including:

• Erasmus+ and Erasmus Mundus
• Jean Monnet actions
• Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
• the Fulbright-Schuman programme
• the EU visitors programme
• the EU-US emerging leaders visitors' programme

See also

• European Union-United States relations (European External Action Service)
• EU diplomatic representation in the United States (European External Action Service)
• EU trade relations with the United States (European Commission)