The US trade representative will leave for the UK on Monday. The British government has been hoping for months to negotiate a free trade agreement with Washington. But the Biden administration is not in a hurry to get there.

The United Kingdom, which has so far failed to deliver on its promises of a post – Brexit trade agreement with the United States, will host US Trade Representative Catherine Thai on Monday and Tuesday for further bilateral talks. The two countries began a series of “Atlantic talks” at the end of March, with the aim of strengthening their exchange, with British International Trade Minister Anne-Marie Travelian meeting with the US representative in Baltimore on the east coast. States.

At this juncture, the Biden administration was in no hurry to resume negotiations for a free trade agreement desired by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, after both capitals had resolved their dispute over steel and aluminum. Meetings will be held in Aberdeen, Scotland on Monday and in London on Tuesday. Not to mention a free trade agreement, British Minister Trevelian assured in a press release on Sunday evening that it was a question of “strengthening trade partnership” with Washington.

These discussions “give us a platform to explore more modern and digital ways of doing business” and “make it cheaper for companies in Scotland and across the UK to do business with the United States”, they continued. The UK intends to focus discussions on “agreed priorities” with the United States, including digital, innovation, “green” trade, support for SMEs, and resistance to supply chains.

UK preference after Brexit

On a larger scale, Washington noted last week that the talks “enabled” the two countries to “explore how to advance mutual international trade priorities”. Since the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union, effective January 1, 2021, London has been negotiating all agreements to increase its international trade. Signing a bilateral agreement with the United States was one of the priorities of the British.

But when the Donald Trump administration agreed to a bilateral agreement with London and even held several rounds of talks, the Biden administration allowed the process to die down. In addition, the United States has made a potential agreement to strictly adhere to the peace treaty in Northern Ireland. Although negotiations between the two capitals have not made significant progress, at the same time London is considering entering into individual agreements with up to 20 US states, although it is not obligated.