'The UK’s new trade deals – what should happen before they are signed?', 26 November 2021

"Trade deals primarily aim to facilitate trade between countries by lowering barriers to trade in both goods and services. Many of these barriers are increasingly concerned with different regulations across countries and also with so-called ‘non-trade policy areas’ such as labour or environmental standards. The UK’s most recent FTAs – for example, the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership – aim for cooperation beyond trade.

The domestic impacts of trade deals – economic, social and environmental – can be significant, so it is important that UK trade deals are scrutinised domestically before they are signed. For example, trade agreements with larger partners, such as the EU or the US, may have significant domestic impacts. Even if aggregate impacts of a trade deal with one country are small, there still may be significant implications for certain sectors or groups within society. Also, the UK may sign an agreement with one country covering regulatory issues that may overlap or even conflict with a prospective agreement with another country – this requires debate and scrutiny.

The UK’s new FTAs have been made with very little parliamentary scrutiny. What should happen, and importantly what should we know about them, before they are signed? Parliament’s role in scrutinising trade agreements is well-recognised to be minimal. The reports of four recent Select Committee inquiries (European Union Committee 2020; European Union Committee 2019; Constitution Committee 2019; International Trade Committee 2018) have called for greater transparency in treaty making and expanded roles for Parliament and the devolved administrations. The UKTPO’s response to the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee inquiry supports these conclusions – this blog sets out our recommendations on information requirements for proper scrutiny of trade agreements..."