We present the main points discussed by Professor L Alan Winters, Lord O’Donnell and Amar Breckenridge at a Trade Knowledge Exchange Webinar on 20 July. A full recording of the session can be accessed here. 1. A grand political bargain The White Paper is a negotiating text in two ways. Firstly, it sets out the […]
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The White Paper and FTA prospects for the UK and US
The White Paper released by the UK Government on 12 July 2018 deals primarily with the UK’s relationship to the EU. In keeping with previous statements and papers, it seeks a deep and comprehensive free trade agreement with the EU. But it also sets out the UK’s ambition to develop its own independent trade policy […]
Read moreComing home, going out? Could England’s World Cup performance influence Brexit?
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, […]
Read morePositioning the UK in global trade policy
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, […]
Read moreListening to the architects: What trade in architecture can tell us about the architecture for trade
With the UK and the EU reaching the sharp end of their negotiations on future arrangements, resolving the question of how these should be structured has become ever more pressing. Summarising in fairly general terms, the UK government is split between those who favour prioritising deep integration with EU, and those who, on the other […]
Read moreMacron-omics meets multilateralism
Emmanuel Macron has an appetite for big challenges. Not content with trying to rescue the Paris Agreement, the Iran nuclear deal, and stare down waves of strikes at home, he now wants to completely overhaul the WTO. His call came at an OECD forum, at the end of which the United States pointedly refused to […]
Read moreCustoms arrangements and post-Brexit trade policy: What are the options?
Customs arrangements and post-Brexit trade policy: What are the options? Theresa May’s cabinet has met this week in another of its recurring “crunch meetings” on its future position vis a vis the EU. The main bone of contention is the question of customs arrangements. Theresa May has already ruled out continuing membership of the EU’s […]
Read moreTrade, War and Trade Wars
Donald Trump’s decision to repudiate the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action agreed with Iran has not only precipitated a security crisis, it will also further ratchet up tensions in world trade. Trade is a fundamental part of the deal, for Iran, but also the European Union. In just two years, EU exports to Iran increased […]
Read moreThe Long Kiss Goodnight
The Long Kiss Goodnight: Negotiating the future relationship between the UK and the EU. Amar Breckenridge discusses the current state of affairs of UK-EU negotiations.
Read moreThe UK and China
UK-China Trade: Eastern Promise? UK-China trade has featured highly on Theresa May’s visit to China. The Prime Minister hopes that by the end of her sojourn, a further £9 billion in commercial deals will have been secured between UK and Chinese businesses. Trade with China is a small but important part of the UK’s overall […]
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