UK drops EU tariffs on Boeing as it seeks post-Brexit trade deal with US

The UK has abandoned EU tariffs on the plane manufacturer Boeing in the hope of securing a quick post-Brexit trade deal with the US. The UK’s move puts it at odds with the EU, which imposed retaliatory tariffs on US imports worth $4b after the WTO ruled that the US had given illegal state aid to Boeing, its aerospace champion. The tariff battle is part of a saga of trade disputes centred on illegal subsidies to Airbus, Boeing’s bitter European rival, and the US planemaker. The WTO had previously ruled that EU governments – including the UK, France and Germany – had provided illegal state aid to Airbus. Scotch whisky and woollen jumpers and pullovers were among the UK products hit with 25% tariffs by the US. The UK government acknowledged that its move was aimed at smoothing relations between the UK and the US as the president-elect, Joe Biden, prepares to take office in the White House in January. The Department for International Trade said the decision was “an effort to bring the US towards a reasonable settlement and show that the UK is serious about reaching a negotiated outcome”. However, any attempt by the UK to extend the EU tariffs after Brexit could potentially have faced a US legal challenge because the WTO ruling did not account for the UK’s departure from the EU. <br/>