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UK-US tariff deal: Cars, steel and beef - what you need to know | UK-US tariff deal: Cars, steel and beef - what you need to know |
(about 1 month later) | |
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to reduce tariffs on some British goods entering the US. | |
It is the first part of a deal which the UK hopes will extend to other products sold to the States. | |
Trump's blanket 10% tariff on imports from countries around the world still applies to most UK items. | |
Here's an at-a-glance guide to what is in the deal. | |
This isn't a trade deal | This isn't a trade deal |
When the agreement was originally announced in May, Trump declared on social media it would be a "major trade deal" - it's not. | |
He does not have the authority to sign the type of free-trade agreement India and the UK finalised in May. That authority lies with US Congress. | |
The legislative branch of the US government need to approve a trade agreement, which would take longer than the 90-day pause in place on some of Trump's tariffs. | |
The US-UK agreement has reversed or cut some of those tariffs on specific goods. | |
Car tariffs cut | |
The executive order signed by Trump will cut the tariff paid by US-based firms on imports of British cars. | |
The president had imposed a 25% tax on UK cars and automotive parts, on top of an existing 2.5% levy. | |
This has been cut to 10% for a maximum of 100,000 UK cars, which matches the number of these vehicles that the UK exported last year. | |
However, any cars exported above the quota will be subject to a 27.5% tax. | |
Cars are the UK's biggest export to the US - worth about £9bn last year. | Cars are the UK's biggest export to the US - worth about £9bn last year. |
But car industry leaders have told the BBC the quota could effectively put a ceiling on the number they can export competitively. | But car industry leaders have told the BBC the quota could effectively put a ceiling on the number they can export competitively. |
The UK currently imposes a 10% levy on US car imports which will remain in place. | |
The order Trump signed also agreed to remove tariffs on certain kinds of aerospace products. | |
Steel and aluminium still not signed | |
Steel and aluminium tariffs were a major part of the original tariff deal but the detail is yet to be worked out. | |
In May, the government announced that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had negotiated a 25% levy down to zero. | |
However, an agreement on this has not been finalised, meaning that UK steel and aluminium are still subject to a 25% tariff. | |
Furthermore, the rate could double to 50% if the UK and US do not reach a deal by 9 July. | |
Under current rules, in order to qualify for an exemption, steel has to be "melted and poured" in the country from which it is imported. | |
Last year, Tata Steel shut down its blast furnaces and, while it transitions to using an electric furnace, it has been importing steel from India and the Netherlands. | |
The White House previously said it would impose a quota on the "most favoured nation rates for UK steel and aluminium and certain derivative steel and aluminium products." | |
It is currently unclear how much of these products the UK will be able to export to the US under this quota system without paying more. | It is currently unclear how much of these products the UK will be able to export to the US under this quota system without paying more. |
It is also unclear whether the scrapping of tariffs will apply to steel derivative products and whether only steel melted and poured in the UK will benefit. | It is also unclear whether the scrapping of tariffs will apply to steel derivative products and whether only steel melted and poured in the UK will benefit. |
The UK exports a relatively small amount of steel and aluminium to the US, about £700m in total. | The UK exports a relatively small amount of steel and aluminium to the US, about £700m in total. |
However, the tariffs also cover products made with steel and aluminium, including things such as gym equipment, furniture and machinery. | However, the tariffs also cover products made with steel and aluminium, including things such as gym equipment, furniture and machinery. |
These are worth much more, about £2.2bn, or about 5% of UK exports to the US last year. | These are worth much more, about £2.2bn, or about 5% of UK exports to the US last year. |
Reacting to the news that Trump had agreed to cut some tariffs, industry body Steel UK said: "We look forward to imminently benefiting from a tariff rate cut similar to that which the automotive and aerospace industries will enjoy. | |
"The UK steel industry badly needs clarification over the 'melted and poured' requirement, and the level of quotas available to UK steelmakers." | |
Pharmaceuticals the big unknown | |
What will be agreed on pharmaceuticals is still unknown, with the UK saying work would continue on this and the remaining reciprocal tariffs. | |
In May, the US said both countries would "promptly negotiate significantly preferential treatment outcomes on pharmaceuticals". | |
Pharmaceuticals are a major export for the UK when it comes to US trade – last year sales of these products were worth £6.6bn making it the UK's second-biggest export to the US. | Pharmaceuticals are a major export for the UK when it comes to US trade – last year sales of these products were worth £6.6bn making it the UK's second-biggest export to the US. |
It's also America's fourth biggest export to the UK, valued at £4bn last year. | It's also America's fourth biggest export to the UK, valued at £4bn last year. |
Most countries, including the US, imposed few or no tariffs on finished drugs, as part of an agreement aimed at keeping medicines affordable. | Most countries, including the US, imposed few or no tariffs on finished drugs, as part of an agreement aimed at keeping medicines affordable. |
The president has not announced any trade restrictions on medicines yet. | The president has not announced any trade restrictions on medicines yet. |
QUICK GUIDE: What tariffs has Trump announced and why? | QUICK GUIDE: What tariffs has Trump announced and why? |
ANALYSIS: Trump deal is a significant achievement for Starmer | ANALYSIS: Trump deal is a significant achievement for Starmer |
No change on digital services tax | No change on digital services tax |
There was no change to the UK's 2% digital services tax in the original deal and this has been seen as a sticking point. | |
Businesses that run social media, search engines or online marketplaces have to pay it if they receive more than £500m in global revenues and £25m from UK users annually. | Businesses that run social media, search engines or online marketplaces have to pay it if they receive more than £500m in global revenues and £25m from UK users annually. |
But this threshold is easily met by US tech giants like Meta, Google, Apple. | But this threshold is easily met by US tech giants like Meta, Google, Apple. |
The UK reportedly netted nearly £360m from American tech firms via the tax in its first year. | The UK reportedly netted nearly £360m from American tech firms via the tax in its first year. |
The UK government said it had "agreed to work on a digital trade deal". | The UK government said it had "agreed to work on a digital trade deal". |
But the US government said it was "disappointed that the UK was unwilling to agree to fully address the tax. | But the US government said it was "disappointed that the UK was unwilling to agree to fully address the tax. |
"It is discriminatory, unjustified, and should be removed promptly," it said. | "It is discriminatory, unjustified, and should be removed promptly," it said. |
No drop to food standards | No drop to food standards |
US beef exports to the UK had been subject to a 20% tariff within a quota of 1,000 metric tonnes. The UK has scrapped this tariff and raised the quota to 13,000 metric tonnes, according to a White House document. | |
In return, the UK has been given the same quota at a lower rate in line with other countries. | In return, the UK has been given the same quota at a lower rate in line with other countries. |
Crucially, there will be no weakening of UK food standards on imports as part of this deal, the UK government statement said, insisting that American hormone-treated meat will not seep onto the UK market. | Crucially, there will be no weakening of UK food standards on imports as part of this deal, the UK government statement said, insisting that American hormone-treated meat will not seep onto the UK market. |
This is an area where the UK has chosen alignment with EU - and the forthcoming "Brexit reset" with the EU - over the US. | This is an area where the UK has chosen alignment with EU - and the forthcoming "Brexit reset" with the EU - over the US. |
Meanwhile, the UK has granted a tariff-free quota of 1.4 billion litres of US ethanol. | |
Previously, US ethanol shipments to the UK faced a 19% tariff. The UK produces around 1.4 billion litres of ethanol a year. Companies have warned that if Britain is flooded with cheaper US ethanol it places the future of domestic firms in peril. | |
The National Farmers Union said the inclusion of "a significant volume of bioethanol [a renewable fuel made from crops] in the deal raises concerns for British arable farmers". | The National Farmers Union said the inclusion of "a significant volume of bioethanol [a renewable fuel made from crops] in the deal raises concerns for British arable farmers". |