LONDON, Feb. 7-- The British government has started developing the country's new tariff regime for imports after the Brexit transition period, which ends in December this year. It is the latest effort by the British government to shape its post-Brexit trade policy. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Britain will seek a Canada-style trade agreement with the European Union (EU) as part of its future trade relationship with the bloc, and diverge from EU rules. The new tariff regime, known as the UK Global Tariff, will come into effect on Jan. 1, 2021 for imports from any country that Britain does not have a free trade agreement with. The Department for International Trade on Thursday launched a four-week public consultation, seeking views on simplifying and tailoring the tariff to suit British businesses and households, such as removing tariffs of less than 2.5 percent and rounding tariffs down to the nearest 2.5 percent, 5 percent or 10 percent band. Other contents for consultation include removing tariffs on key inputs to production which could reduce costs for British manufacturers, and removing tariffs where the Britain has zero or limited domestic production which could help to lower prices for consumers. International Trade Secretary Liz Truss said: "The UK has left the EU and it is time for us to look forward to our future as an independent, global champion of free trade...It is vitally important that we now move away from complex tariff schedule imposed on us by the European Union." |