International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan was hosting her US counterpart Catherine Tai in Aberdeen, northeastern Scotland and London.
International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan was hosting her US counterpart Catherine Tai in Aberdeen, northeastern Scotland and London.
Britain began two-day talks with the United States on 25 April in hopes of making progress on securing a coveted post-Brexit free trade deal. International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan was hosting her US counterpart Catherine Tai in Aberdeen, northeastern Scotland and London.
The pair previously met in Baltimore in late March and announced a deal to end tariffs on steel and aluminum imports imposed by former US President Donald Trump.
Ms Trevelyan made no mention of a free trade deal in comments Sunday night before the talks, instead calling the meeting “the second transatlantic dialogue” that would focus on “priority areas”. These include the digital and innovation sectors, sustainable business, supporting small and medium-sized businesses, and supply chain resilience.
“This dialogue gives us a platform to explore more modern, digital ways of doing business,” said Ms Trevelyan. “It will identify and address barriers to trade to make it cheaper and easier to do business with our American friends in Scotland and across the UK.”
The UK left the European Union outright in January 2021 and is seeking deals around the world to boost international trade. A deal with Washington is seen as a priority but President Joe Biden’s administration has been more lukewarm than that of his predecessor.
Mr Biden, an Irish-American, and senior Democrats have warned Johnson that a deal would be closed if London’s lingering row with Brussels over post-Brexit trade in Northern Ireland affects peace. The UK and pro-UK parties in the British-run province claim that the special arrangement Great Britain governs the transport of goods from the mainland to Northern Ireland poses a threat to its sovereignty.