Donald Trump said Thursday “delighted” to announce a “historic”, “total and complete” trade agreement with the United Kingdom, the first of its kind since the launch of his customs war. According to initial information, he will notably open its doors to American beef and ethanol. The complete perimeter was still being detailed at 5 p.m.
The president praised from the White House in a press conference which started at 10 am local (4 pm in Switzerland) a “historic” agreement, a “major breakthrough”, which he is “delighted” to announce the anniversary of the Allies’ victory in 1945.
He also said that the agreement provided in particular that the United Kingdom opens more to American products, for “several billion dollars”, “in particular for American beef, ethanol and almost all the products produced by our dear farmers”.
The United States Minister of Commerce has in parallel assured that a British airline was to announce an order for aircraft from the American manufacturer Boeing for $ 10 billion. “We agree to let go [aux Etats-Unis] Rolls Royce engines and other aeronautical documents without customs duties, “said Howard Lunick, adding that he would not give the name of the airline concerned.
“Total and complete”
Earlier in the day, he had launched on his social social network that “the agreement with the United Kingdom is total and complete” and that “he will cement the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom for many years”.
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-British Prime Minister Keir Starmer praised “a historic day” after the declaration by his American counterpart, which he linked to that of the announcement of “victory in Europe”, “exactly 80 years ago”, by Winston Churchill.
“general conditions”
A source of the British government had recognized that it was not a full free trade agreement, rather a “document of general conditions” establishing compromises, as well as a framework for in-depth discussions later-in particular in the pharmaceutical sector.
Under the cover of anonymity, she had specified that the agreement was concentrated on specific sectors, in particular the customs duties of 25% applied to steel but especially the automobile.
The prestigious British car manufacturers, such as Bentley, Aston Martin or Jaguar, are on the front line, the United States being their first market outside the EU in 2024 (9 billion pounds, 27.4% of exports).
London has been discussing for several weeks with the Americans in the hope of reducing customs surcharge on its exports to the United States, mainly taxed up to 10%.
A first
Such an agreement has been a first since Donald Trump has imposed customs duties on the world on goods imported by the United States, before largely reversing before the upheaval of the international economic order.
Washington conducts discussions of this type with several other countries and Donald Trump promised that “many other agreements (…) will follow”. The opening this weekend in Switzerland of discussions with China is eagerly awaited.
Agencies/Juma
