The next round of formal discussions between the US and UK towards finalizing a post-Brexit trade agreement are officially underway, with both countries pledging to work out a beneficial deal soon. The key focus would be to work out on agreement that helps both nations overcome the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

According to an official statement put out by US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and UK Trade Minister Liz Truss, over 300 officials across almost 30 groups from both the US and UK will conduct virtual meetings towards resolving key concerns and working out the details of the agreement. Both countries are keen on a free trade agreement and have committed to fast track discussions in the wake of the ongoing crisis.

The joint statement announcing the commencement of trade negotiations states, “A Free Trade Agreement would contribute to the long-term health of our economies, which is vitally important as we recover from the challenges posed by Covid-19.”

Both countries have also expressed interest to moving their supply chains out of China as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The US is likely to push Britain to remove tariffs on agricultural goods and cut down tariffs on American manufactured products, while Britain would like the US to remove the tariffs it imposed on Scotch whiskey in the wake of the aircraft subsidies issue with the EU.