The term refers broadly to negotiations or arrangements between the European Union and the United States to manage tariffs, market access and trade disputes; there is no single comprehensive EU–US free-trade agreement, so relations are handled through sectoral deals, WTO rules and ad‑hoc talks. Tariffs or threats of tariffs (the recent row that prompted Brussels to warn about damage to transatlantic ties) can raise prices, disrupt supply chains and prompt coordinated EU responses or reciprocal measures, which is why EU capitals are sensitive to any escalation.