The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has released negotiating objectives for a prospective Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the UK. The publication of such objectives is a routine event before the US enters into any trade negotiations. But it made headlines in the UK, which has little or no direct experience of trade negotiations. The […]
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The Other “No Deal”: Brexit and FTAs with non-EU countries
Political debate in the UK has been dominated in the last few months by the issue of the “Irish Backstop”. Division over the issue has prevented parliamentary ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement negotiated by the UK Government and the EU. The impact of the UK leaving the EU on a “no deal” basis – i.e. […]
Read moreThe UK’s Agriculture Bill and Trade Policy After Brexit
Introduction The Agriculture Bill is part of the Government’s Brexit preparation. As the UK leaves the EU, British farmers will no longer be able to receive EU subsidies and will not have to comply with a number of regulations. However, it is likely that they will require financial support. The Bill brings together agriculture and […]
Read moreCan CARIFORUM-UK Trading Relations Survive the Clouds of Uncertainty Hanging over UK-EU Relations?
Brexit negotiations between the UK and the EU create a “policy externality”. That is, their outcome will have effects on third parties that have no direct say in the negotiations. The scope for these externalities increases the more these parties are dependent on the UK and EU for their trade, and the bigger the share […]
Read moreBrexit – Where now?
Where the United Kingdom stands now UK politics are in turmoil following the Government’s last-minute decision on 10 December to postpone the House of Commons “meaningful vote” – which had been scheduled for the following day – on the draft UK/EU Withdrawal Agreement and its accompanying Political Declaration on future bilateral relations. Ministers had been […]
Read moreBrexit – Wherever Next?
BREXIT – WHEREVER NEXT? On November 14 2018 the United Kingdom Cabinet agreed, following what was described as an “impassioned” debate, to the draft EU Withdrawal Agreement and the associated Political Declaration on the future UK/EU relationship which had been negotiated by officials. That opened the way for the EU 27 heads of government, to […]
Read moreTime for a Declaration: Reflections on the Framework for Future UK-EU arrangements
How do you work out a trade deal? If you are a party to one of the 280 or so other free trade agreements (FTAs) in the world[1], your starting point was the commitments you had made at the WTO. This is technically referred to trade on Most Favoured Nation (MFN) terms.[2] You and other […]
Read moreThe UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration on Future Arrangements: Five Key Points for UK Trade Policy.
In perhaps the most significant development since the UK voted to leave the European Union in June 2016, negotiators representing the UK and the EU member states have struck an agreement on the terms of the UK’s withdrawal from EU membership. Accompanying that draft Withdrawal Agreement is a draft Political Declaration that provides a framework […]
Read moreBREXIT – FOUR MONTHS TO GO
Where we are now It is now almost a month since the European Council discussion of Brexit on October 17, which had for many months been the target date for agreement on the UK’s terms of withdrawal. That meeting produced no agreement, but also no surprises because expectations on both sides of the Channel had […]
Read moreWTO reforms and future options for UK trade policy after Brexit
What can be done to save the WTO? The question was on the minds of officials from 13 countries – including Canada, the European Union, Australia, Switzerland, Brazil, Kenya and Mexico – meeting in Ottawa at the end of October. The meeting came on the heels of proposals put forward by Canada and the EU, […]
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