The European Commission said it will suspend for six months the tariff countermeasures it had prepared in response to new U.S. duties, giving Brussels and Washington more time to finalise a broader trade accord. The move follows a 27 July agreement between Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and President Donald Trump that capped U.S. tariffs on most European goods at 15%. The EU’s retaliatory package, covering about €93 billion of American imports and due to start on 7 August, will now be put on hold while officials draft a joint statement laying out next steps. EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic called the suspension a way to avoid an escalation that could damage trans-Atlantic commerce, adding that talks will continue on sector-specific exemptions such as wine and spirits. The White House has not yet commented on the EU decision.