The United Kingdom has taken a further step towards securing some measure of trade continuity post-Brexit with the conclusion of a ‘rollover’ trade deal with the countries of Southern Africa. The new deal, approved by the governments involved on Tuesday, will mean that the key trade provisions of the EU’s …
UK WTO & 3rd countries
UK trade policy fog thickens amidst heightened political uncertainty
Confusion and uncertainty over the United Kingdom’s future trade policy, in both the short- and long-term, remains as high as ever following a tumultuous day in the parliament. Members of the British parliament voted by a majority of 27 to allow a motion to be tabled today (4 September 2019) …
Blog: Three reasons why a US-UK deal won’t just be round the corner after Brexit
The United Kingdom’s new Brexit and related post-Brexit trade strategy has radicalised since Boris Johnson took over the country’s premiership this summer. The goal is to be outside the European Union on 1 November at any cost – including by superseding parliament — and to accelerate trade negotiations with Britain’s …
Week in Brussels: The French, CETA and Mercosur, treating UK as EU, recess reminder
Dear readers, this is the last Week in Brussels column before our summer recess. The next Week in Brussels column will appear on 30 August 2019. We will publish very sparingly over the next two weeks due to the general recess period in relevant European and international trade institutions. Here …
Verbatim: Lighthizer on French, UK, EU digital services tax, Section 301
The United States Trade Representative office released an updated report of a hearing in the US Senate held last June. The report offers little that is new on the US’s view on transatlantic trade relations, however the write-up does includes up-to-date views of the US administration on recent plans in …
UK set for atlanticist policy shift as Liz Truss becomes new trade secretary
The United Kingdom looks set for a clear post-Brexit shift away from the European Union’s regulatory orbit and towards a more atlanticist stance under the new government of Boris Johnson, who formally replaced Theresa May as UK prime minister on Wednesday (24 July).
Week in Brussels: A new low in transatlantic trade relations
The week started with a gloomy assessment of the transatlantic tariff threat picture by the trade commissioner and ended with threats of new US tariffs on France, and potentially Britain, following moves in Paris and London to giant digital company profits.
‘Going WTO’: What will be the UK’s experience as an autonomous World Trade Organization member?
The United Kingdom is putting a lot of faith in its membership of one multinational organisation — the World Trade Organization — as a way of mitigating some of the problems associated with its imminent departure from another (the European Union). But might that faith be misplaced?
Liam Fox: MPs ‘to blame’ as Canada declines to sign FTA rollover with UK
The UK has not yet been able to secure a ‘rollover’ of the EU-Canada free trade agreement to apply to Britain after it leaves the EU – and International Trade Secretary Liam Fox is blaming the UK Parliament for sending out ‘mixed signals’ to its trading partners on the likelihood …
Week in Brussels: Vietnam, banana pesticides, ISDS awards and state aid
This week we saw developments on the EU China market economy case, Mercosur, the UK GSP scheme, fishing and Korea. What else happened?