United States Will Start Formal Trade Talks With European Union, Japan, United Kingdom
United States Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer sent letters to Congress on Oct. 16 announcing the Trump administration’s intention to start negotiations on trade agreements with the European Union (EU), Japan, and the United Kingdom.
For the EU and Japan, the Trump administration will seek to address both tariff and nontariff barriers. The administration will start negotiations with the EU and Japan no earlier than 90 days following the submission of the letters to Congress (approximately mid-January 2019).
The letter regarding the negotiations with the United Kingdom (UK) said the administration will seek an “ambitious” trade agreement that would remove goods and services tariff and nontariff barriers and develop “cutting edge obligations for emerging sectors.” The administration hopes to start negotiations with the UK in March 2019.