EU Pauses Trade Agreement with US Amid Tariff Dispute, Greenland Tensions

The European Union has put a trade agreement with the United States on hold after parliament members blocked a vote to ratify the deal.

EU officials are accusing the US of violating the terms of the agreement, which calls for 15 percent tariffs on European Union goods shipped to the United States. The preliminary deal was reached in July, and much of it had already gone into effect.

The dispute comes as President Donald Trump threatens to impose an additional 35 percent tariff on European countries that oppose his push to acquire Greenland. It's unclear whether the entire trade agreement has been scrapped or if portions will remain in place.

Trump addressed the Greenland issue on Wednesday while attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He said he would not take Greenland by force but emphasized he wants Europe to effectively hand over the territory to the United States.

NBC Palm Springs has reached out to the White House for clarification on the status of the trade deal. Officials have not said what specific terms the EU believes were violated or what steps, if any, are being taken to salvage the agreement.