Ditch EU regulations for quick trade deal with US, Trump advisor says
2 min read
The UK must scrap EU regulations after Brexit in order to achieve a speedy trade deal with the US, a senior advisor to Donald Trump has said.
Speaking yesterday the US Commerce Secretary, Wilbur Ross, criticised EU “protectionism” and urged the UK to ditch the current ban on products such as chlorinated chicken and genetically modified foods.
Including such regulations in a Brexit deal could, he warned, delay any future transatlantic trade deal.
He told the Confederation of British Industry conference he was keen to “address with the UK some concerns we have that they may be tempted to include [provisions] in their agreement with the European Commission that could be problems for a subsequent Free Trade Agreement with the US.”
"While the EU talks a lot of free-trade rhetoric, it is really quite protectionist," he said.
"The EU rules are not science-based. This could potentially create problems with us.
"What happens will be very much conditioned by the terms of the departure agreement between the UK and the EU," he said.
The intervention could reignite the row over chlorinated chicken, which has caused Cabinet divisions between Michael Gove, who opposes the product on animal welfare grounds, and Liam Fox.
Speaking last week, the International Trade Secretary told MPs he had “no objection” to lifting the ban but was later slapped down by the Environment Secretary who said “we simply shan’t compromise” on current standards.
Mr Ross later told the Telegraph a post-Brexit trade deal between UK and the US could be agreed quickly.
He told the newspaper: “Any trade deal is important but especially one with a country with whom we have such intense relations as we do with the UK, from a geopolitical, military, and a commercial point of view.
“Our two economies have $1.2 trillion invested in each other. That is a very big number.
“Assuming that there are no big landmines in the UK’s exit agreement from the EU, it shouldn’t take terribly long.”
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