72% of US Companies Expect Stable or Improving EU Relations

U.S. companies reported a significantly more constructive outlook for transatlantic trade and investment relations one year after the United States and European Union reached a trade agreement. A survey from the American Chamber of Commerce to the European Union found that 51% of respondents expected relations to remain stable during the next 12 months, while another 21% anticipated improvement. The remaining 28% expected conditions to worsen. The results indicate that 72% of participating businesses foresee either stability or improvement, a substantial change from the uncertainty reported during 2025 and a potentially supportive signal for companies conducting business across the American and European markets.

AmCham EU represents more than 160 members, including Apple NASDAQ:AAPL, a U.S. consumer-technology company, Goldman Sachs NYSE:GS, a global investment bank, and Exxon Mobil NYSE:XOM, an international oil and gas producer. In late September 2025, approximately 46% of respondents expected transatlantic relations to deteriorate. Pessimism had been considerably higher when President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025, when 89% of respondents anticipated worsening relations. The latest survey was conducted between July 6 and July 20, allowing companies to evaluate conditions after operating under the EU-U.S. trade agreement for approximately one year. AmCham EU Chief Executive Malte Lohan said the findings suggested the agreement had largely delivered its intended objectives.

The European Commission provided a cautious welcome to new U.S. tariffs during the previous week after a 10% global tariff expired, saying the result remained consistent with the transatlantic trade agreement. Businesses appear to believe the arrangement has so far prevented the larger escalation many had previously feared, although more than one-quarter of respondents still expect relations to weaken. The improved outlook could reduce uncertainty surrounding cross-border investment, supply chains and corporate planning for companies with meaningful operations on both sides of the Atlantic. However, the survey measures expectations rather than confirmed future trade flows or financial performance, and Reuters did not provide projections for investment, revenue or economic growth. Investors may therefore view the results as an improvement in business sentiment while continuing to monitor tariffs and future policy decisions for evidence that stability can be sustained.