As President Donald Trump threatens to hit European imports with tariffs as high as 50%, world leaders are quietly working to form a new global trade order that excludes the U.S.
With a July 9 deadline looming for a new EU-U.S. deal, Trump has warned that punitive tariffs will return if the bloc doesn't agree to his terms.
In response, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed a bold counter. The proposal would mean uniting the EU's 27 countries with the 12-nation Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which includes the UK, to launch a new trade alliance without the United States, according to Politico.
"CPTPP and the European Union is mighty," von der Leyen said at the EU leaders' summit, adding that the bloc could replace the WTO and decide later whether to admit the U.S.
The idea has public backing from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who likened the approach to Trump's own erratic style. "We need to be similar to our partners in some sense," Tusk said.
Privately, EU leaders reportedly admit they are now scrambling to craft a face-saving deal with the U.S. before the deadline to avoid sweeping tariffs. Negotiations are expected to continue into next week.
However, the bloc remains divided. Some leaders want to secure a basic agreement quickly to shield vulnerable industries like chemicals and steel, while others remain reluctant to concede to Trump's demands. French President Emmanuel Macron, once defiant, now concedes, "10% [tariffs] will be 10%."
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