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Jesse Norman, Treasury finance secretary, said the pact is proof of the strong bond London and Washington share. The signing comes at a time when rumors are circulating about a possible trade deal secured by the UK and the EU.
Norman tweeted: “Delighted to sign the UK-US Customs Assistance Agreement this afternoon with@USAmbUK.
“Testimony of three years of hard work from@HMRCgovukand U.S. Customs and Homeland Security officials.
“And more than 200 years of the special relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States.”
Norman posted a photo of himself standing next to the US Ambassador to the UK, Woody Johnson.
Both men, wearing masks, posed in front of the flags of the United States and the United Kingdom.
Ambassador Johnson tweeted a photo of the couple signing the deal.
He said: “Another post-Brexit deal has been made between the US and the UK!
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Ambassador Johnson paid tribute to the joint efforts of the United Kingdom and the United States to stop the flow of arms and drugs between the two countries.
He said the deal would mean that both parties would benefit from information sharing after the Brexit transition period ends.
He said: “Every day the US and UK work hand in hand to stop criminals smuggling illegal goods across the Atlantic, from guns to drugs, illegal wildlife products and even counterfeit drugs.
“This Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement means that after Brexit, our investigators can continue to share information to stop criminals and keep people in our two countries safe.”
On Tuesday, Ambassador Johnson offered a promising update on the negotiations toward a free trade agreement (FTA) between the United States and the United Kingdom.
He said he had a meeting with the secretary of International Trade, Liz Truss, to discuss the ongoing talks.
He said both sides are “working hard every day to achieve a great FTA.”
US President-elect Joe Biden will inherit the UK-US trade deal talks when he is sworn in on January 20.
He previously warned that any deal would be out of the question if the Good Friday Agreement is not respected by the UK government’s Brexit form.
The agreement was implemented in the late 1990s to protect the peace in Northern Ireland after the period of violence known as The Troubles.
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