Commerce: London launches negotiations with Washington

Yielding to the fashion of the moment, it was on video that London and Washington began negotiations on Tuesday for a trade agreement. This "ambitious" project aims to materialize the independent post-Brexit trade policy of the United Kingdom. London is hoping for “accelerated” talks with the United States, in the hope of increasing its room for maneuver in its parallel negotiations with the Europeans on a free trade agreement, which has so far been badly started. "The United States is our first trading partner and increasing our transatlantic trade can help our economies rebound after the economic difficulties posed by the coronavirus," explains Liz Truss, British Minister for Trade.

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The United States, for its part, is seeking to rebalance its trade by reducing its exposure to China. For U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, this agreement is one of the Trump Administration's priorities this year. The aim would be to reach an agreement in principle before the presidential election in November.

This first cycle of transatlantic discussions should last two weeks, with around a hundred negotiators on both sides by teleconference, divided into around thirty working groups. It will be followed by a series of other rounds of negotiations approximately every six weeks. The British hope to lower tariffs on cars, ceramics or food, and include financial services in an agreement. The Americans especially covet the British market as an outlet for their agriculture. "All I hope is that if we get a good deal with the UK on agriculture, the European Union will be embarrassed," said Republican senator Chuck Grassley.