The UK government is seeking agreements with the European Union on steel and electric vehicles to shield British industry from upcoming changes to trade rules. New EU steel import restrictions targeting cheap Chinese goods — due to take effect on 1 July — will raise tariffs that also affect the UK, while stricter rules on the proportion of locally sourced components in electric vehicles are set to kick in from 2027, threatening an estimated €80 billion in annual EU-UK automotive trade. Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds described both issues as priorities for negotiation this year, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer seeks closer economic ties with Brussels amid broader geopolitical uncertainty.