The United Kingdom is poised to miss the 9 July deadline to complete a metals trade agreement with the United States, leaving a 25% tariff on British steel and aluminium in place and exposing exporters to a possible increase to 50%. People familiar with the talks said negotiations have stalled over Washington’s insistence that duty-free treatment apply only to steel that is “melted and poured” in the UK, a definition that excludes imports re-rolled by Tata Steel, which no longer operates blast furnaces in Britain. Concerns in Washington about the Chinese ownership of British Steel’s Scunthorpe plant have also slowed progress, despite the company remaining under UK government control. While President Donald Trump had pledged to double the tariff rate on 9 July if no deal was reached, officials on both sides now expect any hike to be delayed until at least 1 August as talks continue. London still hopes to finalise the agreement by the end of July, but the impasse leaves the domestic steel sector facing higher costs and continued uncertainty.