The trade deal lowering U.S. tariffs on some U.K. imports has taken effect, the British government said on Monday.
British car manufacturers now benefit from a reduction in auto export tariffs from 27.5 percent to 10 percent. The British government said this provision will save manufacturers “hundreds of millions each year” and protect “hundreds of thousands of jobs.”
The British aerospace sector will also benefit from the removal of the 10 percent tariff on goods including engines and aircraft parts, the United Kingdom’s government said.
The government touted these provisions as a “huge win” that will “help ensure UK manufacturers remain globally competitive, protect British jobs and continue to lead in innovation and excellence.”
The government’s news release also touted the fact that the “UK is the only country to have secured this deal with the US.”
“Our historic trade deal with the United States delivers for British businesses and protects UK jobs. From today, our world-class automotive and aerospace industries will see tariffs slashed, safeguarding key industries that are vital to our economy,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement.
“We will always act in the national interest – backing British businesses and workers, delivering on our Plan for Change,” he added.
President Trump announced the deal in May, saying it included billions of dollars of increased market access for American exports, especially in agriculture by increasing access to U.S. beef, ethanol and other farming products. It was the first country-specific deal since the April 2 “Liberation Day” import taxes that raised the overall U.S. tariff rate to the highest level in more than a century.
