EU trade ministers to discuss EU-US trade relations

Finland’s Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio will attend an extraordinary meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in its trade configuration in Brussels on 14 July 2025. The Council will exchange views on the EU’s trade relations with the United States and the ongoing trade agreement negotiations with various trading partners. The ministers will also hold a policy debate on EU–China trade relations.

The EU and the United States have held negotiations on various areas of their trade relations after the US imposed several new tariffs during the first half of the year. The EU trade ministers will discuss the matter in Brussels.

The ministers will also discuss the ongoing trade agreement negotiations between the EU and various trading partners. Finland is in favour of swiftly concluding the negotiations and implementing the agreements to reduce barriers to trade.

According to Minister Ville Tavio, the new trade agreements will support the exports of Finnish companies and also promote employment and prosperity in Finland. The agreements will strengthen strategic partnerships between the EU and partner countries.

“The EU has recently made good progress in its trade negotiations.  We hope that the agreement with the South American Mercosur countries can be signed in the coming months,” says Minister Tavio.

At the meeting, the ministers will also hold a policy debate on EU-China trade relations. The EU-China summit is scheduled to take place on 24–25 July.