BritishAmerican Business Publishes UK-U.S. Free Trade Agreement Roadmap

16 October 2020
Contact: Dominic Parker, Communications Manager dparker@babinc.org | 020 7290 9882 | +44 7500 115352

London – Today, BritishAmerican听Business launched its latest paper,听Charting听a Course: A Roadmap to a Comprehensive UK-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, setting out听补听辫补迟丑听to achieving听a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA) being agreed by the United Kingdom and United States.听

Reaching a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement between the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (U.S.) is one of the most ambitious and significant political projects in the transatlantic corridor.听The negotiations enjoy much positive momentum and the UK鈥檚 and U.S.鈥檚 commitment and preparation have allowed for unprecedented speed in the talks. Yet, events such as the U.S. elections, the UK鈥檚 negotiations with the EU, and the upcoming renewal of the U.S. Trade Promotion Authority in July 2021 will have a significant impact on the UK-U.S. FTA negotiation timeline.听

Drawing on years of extensive work that听BritishAmerican听Business and its members have done in support of听further transatlantic integration,听this paper听takes听into consideration key events and issues that define what may be achieved in these talks, and by when.听听

The paper听sets out听broad听recommendations for both UK and U.S. governments, such as:听

  • Reaching a credible negotiation stage ahead of the U.S. elections and a schedule for when to talks continue after,听regardless of the outcome of the U.S. elections. 听
  • Taking action to help reduce unnecessary transatlantic tensions听and barriers听created by听U.S. tariffs on British products听in context of the WTO subsidy dispute, the further implementation of the Digital Tax in the UK and听the current听travel听restrictions to the听transatlantic听corridor.听
  • An announcement by governments on progress made on key areas in the agreement, such as a Digital Trade chapter or a comprehensive Small Business chapter.听
  • Increasing efforts to听make a local, tangible and specific case for the trade deal and听responding听to questions in the wider public.听
  • Reaching an agreement in April 2021 ahead of the renewal of the U.S.鈥檚听Trade Promotion Authority听(TPA).听听

Emanuel Adam, Executive Director London, Director of Policy & Trade, BritishAmerican Business said:听

鈥Charting a Course听reflects some of the key issues that currently听shape听the scope, momentum, timeline and environment for the trade talks听between the UK and the U.S. Putting them in听context of each other establishes a roadmap.

“Addressing the issues that are听part of it听will be crucial if we wanted to achieve听a comprehensive trade deal in time.听A comprehensive UK-U.S. FTA offers the opportunity to strengthen what is already one of the most important economic relationships on earth. We听hope that this document听is 补听reference and a source of encouragement for all those involved.鈥听

Click here to read听Charting a Course: A Roadmap to a Comprehensive UK-U.S. Free Trade Agreement听