UK Treasury Prime Minister Rachel Reeves said in Washington on Wednesday that the UK will not rush to reach a trade agreement with the United States or change its food or automobile safety standards.
Asked about reports that the Trump administration wants Britain to reduce tariffs on cars by 2.5% from 10%, Ms Reeves said she wants to reduce trade barriers between Britain and other countries.
The British government has been proposing a U.S. trade deal because it hopes to soften the economic blow to President Trump’s higher tariffs on goods imported into the U.S. Dozens of countries have negotiated with the Trump administration, but Ms. Reeves has not given any timeline for when to ratify the agreement.
Ms Reeves spoke with Scott Bessent before her first face-to-face meeting with journalists, saying the government would not negotiate, such as changing food standards, which would allow hormonal-treated beef to be imported into the UK or compromise safety rules to protect pedestrians and cyclists. For U.S. officials, exports of agricultural products and U.S. automobile exports have long been a key point in trade negotiations.
“These are discussions around tariffs and trade barriers, but we will not change our standards as required by foreign governments,” Ms Reeves said. “As for food standards, around digital services, around automotive standards, are decisions that the UK government wants to make.”
Instead, the discussion with Mr. Bessent will be to build a technology-focused partnership.
Ms Reeves said in some ways the Trump administration’s call for demand for “fair” trade practices is right.
“I believe in free trade, but it also has to be fair trade,” she said. “That's the significance of some of the global imbalances that the United States does have established in the global economy.”
Ms Reeves said on Wednesday that the UK government will take action to avoid dumping cheap goods into the country, a concern for European officials. The UK government will review customs rules that allow imports of goods worth up to 135 pounds ($180) without paying taxes. The move is designed to support retailers who say fast-fashion businesses like Chinese company Shein have weakened these retailers that will send cheaper packages directly to customers.
It reflects an executive order issued by Mr. Trump to end the so-called De Minimis exemption, a loophole that allows retailers to send other items worth $800 or less directly to U.S. shoppers directly from China without paying tariffs.
