UK suspends more tariffs on food, drink and fuel ahead of budget
The UK government has announced further tariff suspensions on food, drink and fuel ahead of the national budget. Talks with the EU and a debate over steel trade defences continue alongside.
The UK government has announced further suspensions of tariffs on food, drink and fuel, according to a Politico Europe news digest dated 26 October. The step is described as the latest “everyday fix” promoted by Chancellor John Healey ahead of the British budget, the government's annual statement on taxes and spending. The source does not specify which products are covered or how long the suspensions will last.
Related developments in UK–EU relations
Earlier, on 22 October, Brussels proposed postponing its demand on tuition fees until after the UK-EU summit. According to the report, such a delay would clear the way for agreement on other key elements of Britain's “reset” with the European Union, the effort to improve relations with the bloc.
A further item, dated 28 September, concerns steel. Cabinet minister Stephen Kinnock told POLITICO that Britain needs tougher trade defences for steel and said he is “not at all happy” with the current tariff position.
What is known
The material available is a short list of headlines and summaries rather than a full report, so details of the tariff suspensions, the budget's contents and its date are not provided. The common thread is the British government's tariff and trade policy and its negotiations with the EU in the run-up to the budget.
