The United States and the European Union have reached an agreement under the Framework for Reciprocal, Fair, and Balanced Trade, according to a joint statement released this week. Under the deal, the U.S. will immediately cap tariffs on EU-origin goods, including semiconductors, at no more than 15%, while the EU will commit to purchasing at least $40 billion worth of U.S. AI chips for its data centers.

The statement also emphasized cooperation on energy security, pledging to ensure reliable and diversified supplies while addressing non-tariff barriers to bilateral trade. As part of these efforts, the EU plans to procure U.S. liquefied natural gas, oil, and nuclear products, with purchases expected to reach $750 billion by 2028.

In addition, the EU intends to align with U.S. technology security standards to prevent sensitive technologies from reaching destinations of concern. Once these requirements are in place, Washington is expected to facilitate such exports.

EU Trade and Economic Security Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič noted that securing access to advanced AI chips was one of the first issues he raised during negotiations with U.S. officials. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, he stressed that both sides aim to ensure the chips remain in Europe to strengthen the region's economy rather than being re-exported.

The U.S. and EU currently maintain one of the world's largest economic relationships, with mutual investments exceeding $5 trillion. Against this backdrop, European companies are expected to inject an additional $600 billion into U.S. strategic industries by 2028. Both sides view the framework agreement as an initial step toward broader cooperation across multiple sectors.