“We are not in a position to move the agreement to a vote today,” lead trade lawmaker Karin Karlsbro, of the liberal Renew Europe, told POLITICO, adding that clarity from the U.S. on Greenland was essential.
Discussions will continue next Wednesday, the chair of the international trade committee, Bernd Lange, told POLITICO as he left the room.
Political groups are divided over what to do in response to Trump’s threats to annex European territory.
The Socialists and Democrats, of which Lange is a member, are leaning toward freezing the vote on the trade agreement.
“One camp is more like, OK, let’s cooperate with the U.S. in order to get the maximum out, and there’s the other camp that says, OK we also need to show teeth and not give in on everything,” explained Green lawmaker Anna Cavazzini, who is also the chair of the internal market committee.
Cavazzini, who is in favor of freezing the deal, added that lawmakers agreed to delay the decision to “observe the global situation,” adding that the groups also need to agree on specific clauses in the final Parliament text.