The American president announces the first commercial agreement relating to the duties in a press conference. Removed the rates on aluminum and British steel, also lowered the tariffs on cars, the others remain unchanged at 10%.
Yesterday the American president Donald Trump He had promised “a press conference regarding an important commercial agreement with a great and very respected country”. In the morning he dissolved the last doubts, The commercial agreement relating to the duties was reached with the United Kingdomthe Special Relationship Between Washington and London therefore remains more alive than ever, despite the frictions with the British Labor Government of Keir Starmer.
At six local time, Trump announces on his social network Truth: «The agreement with the United Kingdom is complete and understanding and will consolidate the relationships between the United States and the United Kingdom for many years to come. Thanks to our long history and our mutual loyalty, it is a great honor to have the United Kingdom as our first announcement. Many other agreements will follow, currently in an advanced negotiation phase! ».
The agreement reached with London provides for the removal of rates on steel and aluminum imported from the United Kingdom, while for cars the rate is lowered to 10%.
What does the agreement provide with the United Kingdom
At 10:30 (16:30 Italian hours) the announced press conference relating to the duties was held. Trump has declared that the commercial agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom reaffirms the “reciprocity and equity” which he considers essential for international trade. The agreement will involve billions of dollars of American exports, between them beef, ethanol and other agricultural products, said Trump. “In addition, American products will be subjected to a quick customs processso that our exports can be approved in very short times and there will be no bureaucracy, “concluded Trump.
Trump says that the final details of the agreement will be drawn up in the coming weeks, but adds that the actual agreement is “conclusive”. The American president adds that American chemicals and machinery were added to the agreement. He then said that the agreement will lead the United Kingdom to align himself with the United States in terms of economic safety, declaring that “Economic security is national security».
The British Prime Minister also in connection from Downing Street Keir Starmerwhich defined the announcement of the agreement a “Fantastic and historical day». The prime minister said that it is “a real tribute to the history of our close collaboration”. He then praised the Trump negotiating team, who according to him did an “incredible work”.
The secretary of American trade then took the floor, Howard Lutnickwhich underlined how “the agreement has opened new access to the market, including” practically all the products “of US farmers. “This will add 5 billion dollars to American exporters,” says Lutnick. The secretary continued: “We still have a 10% rate that will produce 6 billion dollars of revenue for the United States». According to Lutnick, it has been agreed that the United Kingdom will be able to send 100,000 cars to the United States with the original 10%basic rate. The engines and parts of the planes produced by Rolls Royce, on the other hand, can be exported by the United Kingdom to the United States without duties.
Then confirmed by Trump the mission of the Treasury Secretary Scott Bessentwho will go to Switzerland on Saturday to start negotiations with China. If the negotiations are positive, the imposed rates (now at 145%) can be lowered.
The agreement with the United Kingdom, with rates of 10%, was defined by Trump as one of the best possible, The rates imposed on other countries, with which the United States will abuse future agreements, will be higher.
The EU raises the shot
Always today (certainly not accidental choice) the European Commission has announced that it has drawn up a new Maxi-counter-counter-player to respond to the rates announced by Trump in the now famous “Liberation Day”. The Commission specified that, at the moment, “technical and political” negotiations are underway with the American administration, to ensure that the 90 -day suspension announced by Trump last April 9 becomes definitive. The exchange of goods between the USA and the EU it is worth 865 billion euros in 2024, with the EU exporting goods for a value of 531 billion, importing 333 billion from Washington.
The list of counter-didations, according to the Commission, was developed by the European Union to respond to the asymmetry created by the additional rates imposed by the United States under the Trump presidency. Includes those products for which Brussels believes that the US measures have substantially modified the previous exchange terms. European countermeasures come into force only if the negotiations with Washington should fail: The declared goal of Euroburocrats is to restore a balance in commercial exchanges between the two banks of the Atlantic.
The list of goods that the EU intends to subject to additional rates in the event of non -agreement with Washington includes products symbol of American exports: From cattle and sluts to Alaska cod, from SUVs and pick-ups to aircraft related to the production of Boeing, to finally get to Levi’s jeans and electronic equipment, including display, radar, cameras, microphones and smartphones, such as the famous iPhone. The iconic Bourbon Whiskey is also finished in the viewfinder. In short, an answer, which, if it comes into force, will affect American goods for an estimated value of about 95 billion euros.
The Commission makes it known that “All options remain on the table», Including possible measures in the service sector, which could involve American big techs (Google, destination etc.). However, these are the same sources, of a separate chapter that would require a different procedure. The service sector, on the other hand, sees Europe having a commercial deficit with Washington of just over 100 billion euros (data 2023)
The EU is willing to go to the clash, despite the precarious economic situation of most European states and strategic dependence on the United Stateswithout forgetting that a commercial war would begin with the main export market of the goods of the old continent (in 2024 20.6% of the artifacts were exported to the USA).
