The United States will reportedly postpone a deal to abolish tariffs on UK steel and aluminum due to concerns about post-Brexit trade rules that have had a major impact on Northern Ireland.
Previously the administration under Donald Trump had imposed tariffs of 25% and 10% on steel and aluminum imports on the European Union in 2018. The tariffs were however lifted back in October this year but that did not apply to the UK as they had resigned from the European Union.
Several local newspapers quoting speeches by U.S. Department of Commerce officials stated that talks with the UK on metal tariff easing could not continue. This is because the U.S. administration has expressed concern over the UK's threat to use the clause under article 16.
Article 16 is an emergency brake that allows the UK or the EU to suspend part of a Brexit deal that would allow re -examinations on the movement of goods from the UK to Northern Ireland if it leads to continued difficulties.
The UK trade department said: “We see nothing to do with this particular issue and the Northern Ireland Protocol and it will in no way affect the UK approach. This is because significant changes are needed to the Protocol to protect the Belfast (Good Friday) and Northern Ireland treaties in the UK market.
On that basis Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s spokesman informed that it was necessary not to mix the two issues.
The United States has expressed deep concern following a misunderstanding between London and Brussels over the implementation of the Brexit 2020 deal could jeopardize the Good Friday deal. In September, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. Nancy Pelosi warned that there could be no post-Brexit trade deal with Washington if the Northern Ireland peace deal was destroyed.
