Trade Agreement Continuity Programme

Links added to the documents of the agreement for Côte d`Ivoire and Ukraine. Agreements with the following countries and trading blocs are expected to enter into force from 1 January 2021, when existing EU trade agreements will no longer apply to the UK. If you have any business issues during the transition period, please contact your local International Sales Advisor. Where EU trade agreements apply, UK and EU content will continue to be reflected in the rules of origin of EU trade agreements until 31 December 2020, as is currently the case. The UK has left the EU. The Withdrawal Agreement sets out how the UK can continue to be covered by EU-third country trade agreements until 31 December 2020. 4. Agreements have been signed with countries that accounted for 74.6% of UK trade in 2018, with countries with which we seek continuity. 1) Source of trade statistics: ONS UK Total trade: all countries, not seasonally adjusted from April to June 2020.

Medical devices or building materials – remain uncovered “due to interactions with EU laws and systems” (Swiss Agreement, paragraph 96). In other words, because Switzerland is committed to legislative equivalence with the EU, it cannot at the same time commit to mutually recognising British practices, unless they also comply with the EU standard. Although the three chapters contained cover a significant share of trade between the United Kingdom and Switzerland and a Memorandum of Understanding announces the intention to make progress on the remaining 17 chapters, around 24% of UK exports and 16% of imports of this bilateral trade are not currently covered. This means additional testing and certification (i.e. costs) for exporters, although the UK can unilaterally recognise Swiss certification if it so wishes. “All recognitions are addressed to DIT officials at home and in the market for the guarantee of another important trade agreement with Mexico…