UK-US trade deal is almost impossible before the US 2020 Presidential election, according to Donald Trump‘s chief trade representative.
Speaking before the House Ways and Means Committe, Robert Lighthizer who is the United States Trade Representative Ambassador said that such an agreement is “almost impossible” by the 2020 election.
“I am confident that we will get an agreement and I am confident that we will get one that is warmly received by Congress. The question is really when,” the ambassador Rober Lighthizer said.
Lighthizer said that it is imperatve to have an agreement with UK but there are still fundamental issues that negotiators have to address.
Mr Lighthizer while responding to a question about the uture of US trade relations with the UK and European Union, Mr Lighthizer said that what the UK does in relation to regulation in negotiations with the EU will be crucial to the US position.
Stressing that the UK has a large tradding relationship with EU than US, , the ambassador said that the US is willing to work concurrently with the UK as it negotiates with Europe, but “what they give Europe will affect what we get”.
“And if they buy Europe’s total regulatory regime, then we’re in a position where we’re going to get substantially less, and thus the way I think about these things, and I’m a pure pragmatist, we should give them less,” Mr. lighthizer added
