According to President Trump, “Tariff is the most beautiful word in the dictionary.” Throughout his presidential campaign, Trump promised to use tariffs as a central part of his foreign policy strategy. His America First Trade Policy memorandum also directs the administration to review various tariff- and tariff-adjacent levers the United States could use to further
EU Steel safeguard overhaul: Our views on the key implications of the new tariff-rate quota regime, expected to go live on 1 July 2026
Background
With the existing EU steel safeguard expiring on 30 June 2026, the Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council addressing the negative trade‑related effects of global overcapacity on the Union steel market (COM(2025) 726) (the new steel measures) is designed to replace the existing safeguard measures and would instal
EU’s Industrial Accelerator Act unveils “Made in EU” and low-carbon push, reshaping trade relations
- Industrial Accelerator Act introduces Union origin and low-carbon requirements for public procurement (from January 2029) and support schemes in strategic sectors.
- Energy-intensive industries face low-carbon and Union origin requirements; electric vehicles require EU assembly, 70% EU content, and phased-in battery/powertrain rules; net-zero technologies face tightening thresholds.
- Businesses must assess Union origin under customs
The upcoming EU Customs Reform: a strategic perspective
In May 2023, the European Commission published its proposal for a reform of EU Customs, describing it as “the most ambitious and comprehensive reform of the EU Customs Union since its establishment in 1968”. Since the launch, significant developments have reshaped the debate: e-commerce volumes have continued to surge beyond levels of customs
EU customs targets split shipments and post-entry assembly in classification enforcement push
EU customs authorities are intensifying enforcement around customs classification, with scrutiny of goods assembled in the EU after importation. The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) 2025 Annual Report explicitly identifies assembly operations performed after import as a common fraud pattern used to evade customs duties. The concern centres on components that, when classified individually, attract
Podcast: The SCOTUS IEEPA ruling—Europe’s response and what it means for business
When the U.S. Supreme Court struck down tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump, the effects were felt far beyond American shores. European policymakers and businesses are now grappling with what this judicial turning point means for transatlantic commerce.
In the second instalment of our
SCOTUS strikes down IEEPA tariffs; leaves refund question open
Earlier today, the Supreme Court issued its opinion in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump. By a 6-3 majority, the Court held that the phrase “regulate . . . importation,” as used in the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), does not include the power to impose tariffs.
As a result of the Court’s ruling
RePowerEU Update: Six Countries Cleared for Simplified Gas Imports
The European Commission has granted six countries – Algeria, Nigeria, Norway, Qatar, the United Kingdom and the United States – an exemption from prior authorisation requirements for natural gas imports under the RePowerEU Regulation.
What does this mean?
Gas sourced from these six countries will no longer require prior authorisation under Article 5(3) or evidence
EU-Mercosur: Key developments shaping the trade agreement
In a rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape marked by rising tensions and global economic challenges, the European Union is accelerating efforts to diversify its trade partnerships. One of the most significant recent developments is the signing of the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement (EMPA, or the Agreement) and the Interim Trade Agreement (iTA) on 17 January 2026
EU LNG and Pipeline Gas Import Ban – Timing under EU Sanctions (Article 3ra) vs RePowerEU
As a follow-up to our previous client alerts on the EU’s Russian gas phase-out (available here), we have prepared an infographic summarising how the EU sanctions framework (Regulation 833/2014) interacts with the RePowerEU phase-out Regulation (Regulation 2026/261), including the key contract cut-off and phase-out dates for both LNG and pipeline