Finance
UK expects continued favourable trade with U.S. after Supreme Court ruling
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 20, 2026
2 min readLast updated: February 20, 2026
Quick Summary
After the Supreme Court struck down Trump’s IEEPA tariffs, the UK expects its favorable U.S. trade position to hold. Most sector duties under a separate deal remain as firms await clarity on refunds and steel tariffs.
UK Sees Continued Favorable U.S. Trade Ties After Supreme Court Ruling
LONDON, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Britain expects its privileged trading position with the United States to continue after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs, the government said on Friday.
UK-U.S. Trade Outlook After Supreme Court Decision
In April last year, Trump announced "reciprocal" tariffs on goods imported from most U.S. trading partners, including Britain, invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA. On Friday, the Supreme Court said Trump's use of IEEPA exceeded his authority.
The baseline tariff that Britain faced under the reciprocal tariffs was 10%.
What the Ruling Changes
However, Friday's ruling will not impact most bilateral trade under Britain's separate tariff deal with Washington, which largely involves specific sectoral duties under different U.S. powers.
UK Government Response
"The UK enjoys the lowest reciprocal tariffs globally, and under any scenario we expect our privileged trading position with the US to continue", a British government spokesperson said in a statement.
"We will work with the (U.S.) Administration to understand how the ruling will affect tariffs for the UK and the rest of the world."
Support for British businesses
The spokesperson said the government would support British businesses when further details are announced.
Business Reaction and Uncertainties
William Bain, head of trade at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said the ruling did "little to clear the murky waters for business."
Steel Tariffs and Rebates
It was also unclear how U.S. businesses could reclaim import levies paid and whether British businesses would be entitled to a share of any rebate, Bain said.
"For the UK, the priority remains bringing tariffs down wherever possible," he said, citing an agreement to bring down steel tariffs under the U.S.-UK tariff deal which has yet to be implemented.
Trade Priority for the UK
"Any competitive advantage that we can secure is likely to help boost our exports to the single country, globally, we do most trade with."
(Reporting by Alistair Smout and Muvija MEditing by William Schomberg)
Key Takeaways
- •The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Trump's IEEPA-based global tariffs exceeded presidential authority.
- •Britain expects its privileged trading position with the U.S. to continue despite the ruling.
- •Most UK-U.S. sectoral duties under a separate tariff deal remain unaffected for now.
- •Uncertainty persists over how U.S. importers will reclaim paid levies and any UK business entitlements.
- •UK business groups urge accelerated tariff reductions, including pending steel tariff relief.
Frequently Asked Questions about UK expects continued favourable trade with U.S. after Supreme Court ruling
1What is the main topic?
The article reports the UK’s expectation that its favorable trading position with the U.S. will continue after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Trump’s IEEPA-based tariffs. It assesses likely effects on existing sectoral duties and business uncertainty.
2How does the ruling affect current UK-U.S. tariffs?
The decision targets tariffs imposed under IEEPA, but most UK-U.S. trade is covered by a separate tariff framework. Many sector-specific duties, including those on steel, are under different U.S. powers and remain in place for now.
3Will UK businesses receive tariff refunds?
Refund processes are unclear. Questions remain about how U.S. importers reclaim levies and whether UK businesses with exposure to those costs could benefit. Authorities are reviewing details.
