Talks between European and American officials have not broken down. The deal reached by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and US President Donald Trump opened a new phase of discussions, which is expected to lead to the publication of a joint statement. Although not legally binding, the document is expected to outline the terms of the informal agreement that the two leaders reached at the Turnberry golf resort, which is owned by the US president and located on Scotland's west coast, on July 27.

"The text is practically ready; we are now waiting for our American counterparts to get back to us to confirm the final details," said a senior European official. As he put it, "It takes two to tango." Nevertheless, Trump has already begun to implement his side of the deal by signing, on July 31, an executive order establishing the new tariff regime, including 15% tariffs on imports from the European Union.

However, this executive order, set to take effect on August 7, will not resolve all outstanding issues. It only applies to "reciprocal" tariffs, which exclude cars and car parts. Therefore, the automotive industry remains subject to export taxes of 27.5% when shipping to the United States. "We expect a change to happen very soon," said the aforementioned official.

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