UK Still Facing 25% Tariffs On Steel Exports To U.S. Despite Trade Deal

The United Kingdom has yet to fully benefit from its recent trade agreement with the United States, as President Donald Trump has maintained a 25% tariff on UK core steel exports, despite prior expectations of tariff reductions, Helen Corbett reported for PA Media.

The agreement also includes concessions that have stirred backlash domestically. I Photo: Stuart Kerr Wikimedia Commons

According to the executive order, the U.S. is seeking additional guarantees from Britain concerning the supply chain integrity and ownership structures of UK steel production facilities before considering further tariff relief.

Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds hailed other aspects of the deal, such as the reduction of car tariffs to 10% and the removal of tariffs on aircraft engines and parts, which he said would help safeguard thousands of UK jobs.

However, the agreement also includes concessions that have stirred backlash domestically.

A 20% tariff on U.S. beef imports into the UK was removed, and the import quota raised to 13,000 metric tons. Similarly, a 19% tariff on ethanol was lifted, with a 1.4 billion-liter quota of U.S. ethanol now allowed tariff-free.

The UK’s bioethanol industry warned that it is being priced out of the market due to U.S. subsidies, with the country’s largest plant saying it may shut down within weeks.