Complementing the technical material in the Knowledge section, the TKE here delivers commentary on key trade issues. While you won't find comments on the breaking news of the day, you will find measured, analytical thoughts on important topics and the key issues under debate.
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There are four months to go until the European Union’s October 2018 deadline for finalisation of a Brexit withdrawal agreement which can be put to the member states for ratification, and nine months until March 29 2019 when the UK, according to its withdrawal notification, will cease to be a member state. Meanwhile the complexity […]
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Twenty-eight years after they last managed it, England have made the semi-final of football’s World Cup. England’s match against the then West Germany in Turin in July 1990, came in the middle of a tumultuous time for Europe. The Berlin wall had recently come down, and German reunification was on the horizon. This time round, […]
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What role can the UK carve out for itself in global trade policy after leaving the EU? It will be able to speak with an “independent” and “distinctive” voice, will relentlessly push the case for free trade and multilateralism, and will strive to ensure that everyone is able to access the benefits of trade. That, […]
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The UK and the EU-27 have agreed on an extension to Brexit, with the new deadline for the UK’s withdrawal moved back to 31 October 2019. The UK may leave the EU earlier if parliament passes the Withdrawal Agreement agreed by the Government and the EU. The Government and the Opposition have engaged in talks […]
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On 27 March, the House of Commons voted on eight approaches to “Brexit”, as alternatives to the Withdrawal Agreement negotiated between the UK and the EU in 2018. Votes on these plans were indicative i.e. they were not binding on the government. In the event, all motions were rejected, including motions in favour of a […]
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With the UK parliament showing little sign of resolving its differences of opinion with itself on the UK’s departure from the EU, the UK government has published a list of customs duties that would apply “temporarily” in the event of a “no-deal“ exit. The government says that under such arrangements 87% of imports to the […]
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Extending the time limit for negotiating the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union looks increasingly like the only realistic course. But the difficulties and risks are enormous, not least because there is no common view as to the duration of that extension. And because of that, the risks of a “no-deal” outcome remain substantial. Background […]
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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 […]
Read more 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. […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 more 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 […]
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