US and UK agree to begin talks on removing steel tariffs
19 January 2022, 23:04
Confederation of British Industry international director Andy Burwell said it is ‘vital’ to agree a negotiated settlement.
The United States has agreed to begin talks seeking to remove the tariffs on British steel and aluminium imposed by former president Donald Trump.
International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said she had held a “productive discussion” with US commerce secretary Gina Raimondo on Wednesday.
She said that they desire a “resolution as soon as possible which supports UK businesses and further strengthens our trading relationship”.
The 25% tariff on steel and 10% tariff on aluminium were imposed by the Trump administration during a dispute with the European Union in 2018.
A joint US-UK statement said: “Both parties are committed to working towards an expeditious outcome that ensures the viability of steel and aluminium industries in both markets against the continuing shared challenge of global excess capacity and strengthens their democratic alliance.”
Confederation of British Industry international director Andy Burwell said it is “vital” to agree a negotiated settlement to “ease pressure on affected industries”.
“With inflation rising in both the US and UK, both governments must focus on sustainable growth, while supporting the rules-based system which underpins the global economy,” he added.
