Trade Bites UK Trade Policy Observatory

Later in 2024, the UK will join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement on Trans-Pacific Partnership bringing a whole new meaning to the expression ‘regional trade agreement’. The British government has made no secret of its enthusiasm for what it calls a ‘strategic pivot’ towards the Asia-Pacific region. But, does it make sense for the UK which has just withdrawn from one trade bloc right on its doorstep, to join another which is centred on the other side of the world? What benefits might we expect UK membership of CPTPP to deliver? How might CPTPP evolve in future?

Joining Chris Horseman (Borderlex) to discuss this topic are Minako Morita-Jaeger (CITP), Rob Cook (Department for Business and Trade) and Manuel Tong Koecklin (CITP/UKTPO).

For three years after Britain left the single market, the UK has effectively operated an 'open door' policy on imports from the EU. Five times the government announced the introduction of border controls on imports from the EU – and five times they were postponed for various operational and logistical reasons. But now it’s finally happening. So how will the new Border Target Operating Model, or BTOM, actually work?

Anna Doherty (Institute of Exports and International Trade) and William Bain (British Chambers of Commerce) discuss the ins and outs with Chris Horseman (Borderlex):
Is the new regime of border checks on higher-risk agri-food products actually compatible with the high-volume, roll-on roll-off trade that flows through Dover and the Channel Tunnel? Will the new regime lead to delays and increased costs? Or should traders, who have now had more than three years to prepare, be ready for the new reality?

The UK has a long history as an agricultural trading nation. For much of our existence, we’ve been a net importer of food, creating a free trade economics 'virtue' out of the necessity of needing to feed ourselves. But calibrating a well-balanced trade policy for agriculture and food is a notoriously difficult thing to do. When we were part of the EU, UK commentators often criticised Brussels for being excessively protectionist.

The UK is now a free agent, in trade policy terms. So just how much has actually changed? Have we actually adopted a liberal agri-food trade policy? Brexit has created new bureaucratic barriers to trade. What impact are these actually having on UK food importers and exporters? And what difference will the UK’s new trade agreements with partners around the world actually make to the economics of producing and selling food here in the UK?

Fiona Smith (University of Leeds) Ludivine Petetin (CITP) and Nick von Westenholz (NFU) tackle these questions from our presenter, Chris Horseman (Borderlex).

This episode of the Trade Bites podcast scrutinizes the topic of trade agreement scrutiny. In addition to the ratification of the UK's accession to the Asia Pacific Trade Block (CPTPP) earlier this month, there are at least seven new UK Free Trade Agreements currently under negotiation. How do we know that the trade policy decisions that the Government is taking on our behalf are the right ones?

Alan Winters (CITP), Alan Ramsey (Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland), Alex Horne (Barrister and Durham University) and Mairi Spowage (CITP) discuss whether the Government is delivering value and if they got their priorities right; what level of involvement should there be for the UK's devolved administrations and other stakeholders?; and ultimately, how could the process be more inclusive?

The World Trade Organization's thirteenth ministerial conference (MC13) took place in the last week of February. Trade ministers from around the world met to take key decisions on the regulation of international trade. But they didn’t actually decide on very much.
Is the WTO now in a state of crisis? What’s the point of an organisation that can’t seem to decide on anything much? What needs to change? Should we perhaps blame the governments who need to make the compromises without which international agreements can’t happen?
Dmitry Grozoubinski (Explain Trade), George Riddell (EY) and Ana Soares Peres (University of Sussex/UKTPO) tackle these questions from our presenter, Chris Horseman (Borderlex)
#trade #WTO #MC13

Just over three years since we left the EU single market, what has been the trade impact of Brexit? British exporters and importers trading with the EU have faced a whole new regulatory environment. Has Brexit led to shifts in the UK’s trade patterns – a pivot towards other parts of the world? Or does the gravity model beloved of trade economists still hold true? Has the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (the TCA) proven to be a satisfactory framework for EU-UK trade? And, with elections happening in both the EU and the UK later this year, might we see any kind of movement towards changes in the TCA over the next few years?'
Hosted by Chris Horseman, with Nicolo Tamberi (CITP), Emily Fry (Resolution Foundation) and John Springford (CER)