US-UK Talks on Steel Tariffs Removal Stalled Over Northern Ireland Clause - Reports

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Talks between Washington and London that were supposed to result in removal of the Trump-era tariffs on the UK steel have been stalled over US concerns about new post-Brexit trading rules and their effects on Northern Ireland, the Financial Times reported.

The United Kingdom has threatened to trigger Article 16 of the post-Brexit Northern Ireland protocol to suspend checks of goods delivered to Northern Ireland from the rest of the union, the report said on Wednesday.

The Biden administration has already informed the United Kingdom about the reason for the delay while sources familiar with the matter have said the talks stalled due to pressure from Congress after the United Kingdom threatened to use the clause, the report said.

As part of the Brexit agreement that came in force in January, there is no hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, but all goods and animal-based products coming from the rest of the United Kingdom must be checked upon arrival to see if they comply with EU sanitary regulations.

The UK government has argued that the protocol is not working, as it causes delays and interruptions to goods moving between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and irritates loyalists of the British crown who believe their place within the union could be affected.

In October, the United States and the European Union agreed to resolve their steel and aluminum dispute that left UK steelmakers at a disadvantage because they continue to face high tariffs on exports.