As the Aug. 1 deadline for tariff agreements approach, lawyers and political consultants caution that trade fights are likely ahead.

An escalatory spiral that leads towards Eurasia's 10% 'trade war' scenario, however, would prompt Brussels to deploy escalatory measures, such as "export controls/duties, public procurement curbs, and/or penalties on U.S. services exports" by using the ACI "trade bazooka as a last resort," they concluded.

The agreement - including a 15% tariff on all imported Japanese goods, down from a proposed 25% - is the most significant of the string of trade deals the White House has reached ahead of a August 1 deadline for higher levies to kick in.