The UK government will head into tense talks next week with Donald Trump’s White House, demanding that the United States immediately activate a deal to eliminate tariffs on British steel exports, just days before the US enforces a new 50% tariff on global steel and aluminum.
According to reporting from the Financial Times, Jonathan Reynolds, Britain’s business and trade secretary, will meet with Jamieson Greer, Trump’s trade representative, in Paris during an OECD summit.
Reynolds is going there to get answers—and push Washington to act fast on the Economic Prosperity Deal, a handshake agreement signed on May 8 between Trump and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
The agreement included a plan to scrap tariffs on UK steel and aluminum completely, but over three weeks later, none of it has taken effect. British officials admitted they still don’t know how hard the upcoming tariff hike will hit the country’s £400 million in annual steel and aluminum exports to the US.
One said , “The steel situation is still unclear.” Another conceded that bringing any trade deal into effect “normally takes several months,” which leaves the UK steel industry staring down a financial cliff as Washington moves forward with Trump’s new 50% rate—double the existing 25% tariff.
Reynolds heads to Paris to force clarity on trade deal timing
Reynolds will use the meeting in Paris to push for real timelines. That’s the only way the UK can get a grip on the consequences of the new tariffs. Despite the May 8 agreement being described by Starmer as a breakthrough, it’s non-binding, and Washington hasn’t provided any clear signal on when—or if—the tariff changes will actually happen.
Meanwhile, industries back home are in limbo. Gareth Stace, director-general of UK Steel, called Trump’s decision to hike tariffs “a body blow.” Stace warned, “Uncertainty remains as to whether and when our second-biggest export market will be open for business or is being firmly shut in our faces.”
And it’s not just steel. The UK is also chasing the implementation of a second part of the May 8 deal: cutting US tariffs on British cars. Trump agreed to slash the 27.5% tariff to 10% for up to 100,000 vehicles per year. Starmer said this part of the deal could protect British auto jobs, especially at firms like Jaguar Land Rover. But just like the steel deal, this one’s stuck in the same holding pattern—agreed but not enacted.
The UK already gave up market access to get those tariff cuts. In exchange, the UK government allowed more US imports of beef, ethanol, and industrial products. But none of the trade benefits—on either side—have actually taken effect. The UK government said it’s still “working to ensure that businesses can benefit from the deal as quickly as possible” and that the next steps would be announced “in due course.”
Trump tariffs still moving forward despite court rulings
British officials in Washington are trying to speed things up. They’ve been holding talks with the US Department of Commerce in hopes of pushing the agreement forward. One UK official insisted, “The original deal stands, in our view.”
But even as the UK presses for movement, Trump’s new tariffs are charging ahead. The US Court of International Trade ruled on Wednesday that the so-called “liberation day” tariff scheme—Trump’s broad plan to reimpose sweeping trade duties—was illegal.
The decision was immediately paused by a federal appeals court, meaning there’s no legal block stopping Trump from pushing his new 50% steel tariff forward.
And there’s another problem: Trump’s not fully focused. Trade experts say the US president is tangled in multiple court fights and legal battles that are likely to slow or sideline any real movement on UK trade. As one British official put it, the problem isn’t the paperwork, it’s the politics.
The UK, for its part, says it plans to present the Economic Prosperity Deal and all related legislation to Parliament, but there’s still no date. And the clock is ticking. The steel tariff hike kicks in Wednesday, and without action from Trump’s team, UK exporters will be hit hard.
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