The Framework Agreement of 21 August 2025 between the US and the EU: "Legal Doubts" as a Response to the New Global Trade Disorder

Abstract

The present paper deals with the US-EU framework agreement of 21 August 2025 on fair, reciprocal, and balanced trade. It is a non-binding mutual agreement designed to reduce transatlantic trade imbalances. It proposed a 15% tariff on most EU exports to the US and increased EU market access for US industrial/ agricultural goods, aiming for a final agreement, though facing implementation challenges. While announced as a move toward a more “balanced” relationship, the framework agreement faced immediate hurdles, including renewed disputes over digital taxes and EU-level debate over the legality and impact of the proposed tariff changes. For this reason, the framework agreement requires further analysis, especially regarding its implications on international and EU law. Ultimately, from a multilateral and supranational perspective, it seems like a highly "dubious" agreement in legal terms, although it certainly represents a timely solution to address the crisis.