Agreement between Trump and London (the first of the series): what the agreement provides for, the duties on cars and engines and metals fall

Superlative and affectionate adjectives were wasted in the oval studio of the White House, where on Thursday Donald Trump has announced a commercial agreement with Great Britain which will break down the duties imposed on British cars and steel: It is the first agreement ended by the United States with another country after the so -called « liberation day »when Washington unleashed the war of rates with the rest of the world.
« A fantastic, historical day, » the Prime Minister of London called him, Keir Starmerwhich was connected by telephone during the press conference held by the American president, who in turn defined Great Britain « a great ally, some say the largest ». And down mutual compliments between the two leaders, who congratulated Even with the diplomatic teams that led the agreement.

The rates

In detail, The 25% duties imposed by Trump on British steel and aluminum were zeroedwhile those on cars were lowered to 10%, the minimum level. No rates also on Rolls Royce engines, which supplies airlines such as Boeing. For all other products imported in the USA there remain the basic duties of 10%. For his part, London has agreed to remove rates on ethanol, meat and other agricultural products: according to the White House, this will translate into a thrust of 5 billion dollars for US exports.

The other countries

As for the rest of the world, « numerous » agreements will follow: Trump said negotiated They are underway with China and European Unionbut he reiterated that the EU « treated us very unjustly », adding that some countries will still have to pay the duties of 25% (which is the level imposed on the EU). Instead, the positive reaction of the London-Washington understanding markets are immediate: all the major American stock exchange indices have gone up.
For Starmer it is a real diplomatic triumph: Britain had already managed to escape the duties imposed on the European Union (for some it was a positive result of Brexit, for others it was only the consequence of the fact that the United States have a commercial surplus with London and therefore there was no reason to punish it beyond measure).

Pragmatism

But now the Labor leader sees his soft line rewarded towards the Trump administration: From Downing Street they have avoided threatening counter-rifle from the beginning, unlike what the European Union didand they also kept away from any polemical tone.
On the contrary, the British have launched a diplomatic offensive aimed at giving Trump and tickling his vanity: Starmer even introduced himself to the White House with An invitation letter to London for The Donald signed by King Carlo. « Look what we have shown, through patience and pragmatism, » said Starmer.

Starmer’s relief

It is a real reversal in front, If you think that Trump’s arrival in the White House had made difficult times fear For a Great Britain led by a left -wing government. For his part, London has kept to clarify that he has not diluted his standards in agro-food matters: among British consumers there is in fact a lot of concern at the idea of ​​being on the table the meat at hormones or chlorine chicken made in the USA. And the maintenance of certain parameters is used for Downing Street also to continue in the negotiation in search of a commercial agreement with the European Union that better the post-Brexit conditions.
On an internal level, this agreement brings some relief to Starmer, besieged by the electoral successes of the populist right of Nigel Farage: The premier remains very unpopular at home, but maybe this could be the moment when he manages to trace the china.