President Donald Trump has signed documents to reduce tariffs on UK cars being imported to the US, which will bring into force parts of a tariff pact agreed between the two countries last month.
Speaking at the G7 summit in Canada, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called the move a “very important day” for both countries.
The pact was the first that the White House has announced since it imposed tariffs on various goods entering America from around the world earlier this year.
But a 10% levy remains in place on most goods, including cars, arriving to American shores from the UK.
As agreed last month, the US said it would allow up to 100,000 cars into the US at a 10% tariff, instead of the 25% import tax imposed by Trump on all car imports earlier this year.
The document said the US would set up a similar system for steel and aluminium, but did not specify what it would be.
“We’re gonna let you have that information in little while,” the US President said when asked if steel tariffs would be axed for the UK – a major part of the original tariff pact.
The order also agreed to remove tariffs on certain kinds of aerospace products.
Sir Keir said the deal “implements on car tariffs and aerospace”, and described the agreement as a “sign of strength” between Britain and America.
The deal will come into effect seven days following its official publication.
Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the announcement was “the result of work happening at pace between both governments to lower the burden on UK businesses, especially the sectors most impacted by the tariffs”.
“We will update parliament on the implementation of quotas on US beef and ethanol, part of our commitment to the US under this deal,” he added.
US beef exports to the UK had been subject to a 20% tariff within a quota of 1,000 metric tons. The UK has scrapped this tariff and raised the quota to 13,000 metric tonnes.
But the UK government has insisted there will be no weakening of food standards and that any US beef imports will need to meet food safety requirements.
