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**Hugh** · 14-02-2024, 17:30

First post in this thread…

Quote:

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

So, now we have left the European Union. What now? How do we navigate our way ahead? How do we make the decision of the electorate work in practice?

Frankly, I am looking forward to making deals with all these other trading blocs around the world that are purely arrangements about trade and that don’t try to force you into some sort of political union.

Does anyone have any views on what our priorities should be? Personally, I think the next big deal should be with the US, and we need to bring in those free ports that the PM referred to a few months ago as soon as possible.

Should our farmers be gearing up to produce more now that we are free of the wasteful CAP? Which new markets should we be exploiting after the US?

So many questions...so many opportunities.

Trade deals: What has the UK done since Brexit?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-47213842

Quote:

Since Brexit, the UK has signed trade deals and agreements in principle with about 70 countries and one with the EU.

However, the majority of these are simply "rollovers" - meaning they copied the terms of deals the UK previously had when it was an EU member, rather than creating new trading arrangements.

And some of them are with countries with which the UK does very little trade.
A deal with Japan was signed in October 2020. It was the first that differed from the existing EU trade deal.

The Australia deal was the first trade agreement negotiated from scratch by the UK since it left the EU. UK farmers warned they could be undercut by cheap imports, which could cost jobs. However, the UK government insists the deal contains protections for the sector.

An agreement with Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein was announced in June 2021 and builds on the previous agreement the UK had with these countries.

The UK signed a new deal with New Zealand on 28 February 2022.
New Zealand is a small trading partner, accounting for less than 0.2% of total UK trade.
While the deal is unlikely to boost the UK economy by much, it could lead to more New Zealand lamb being sold in the UK.

The UK has also agreed to join an existing trade agreement between 11 Pacific Rim nations. The government expects to become a member of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in the second half of 2024.

Talks with India began in early 2022, although no deal has been reached.

And there has not been a deal agreed with the US, although it had been set as a priority in the Conservative 2019 manifesto.

Rishi Sunak said in June 2023 that a full free trade agreement had not in fact been a priority for either country "for a while now", although a more limited economic agreement called the Atlantic Declaration was signed.

https://bmmagazine.co.uk/news/uk-far...rexit-imports/

Quote:

UK farmers are gearing up for more protests reminiscent of French-style blockades following a recent slow tractor protest at Dover.

The demonstration was aimed at highlighting concerns over low supermarket prices and the influx of cheap food imports resulting from post-Brexit trade deals.

Approximately 40 tractors and other farm vehicles caused disruptions around the Kent port for several hours by driving slowly and displaying signs with slogans such as “No More Cheap Imports”.

Kent farmers are set to convene again this week to discuss potential further action, with the possibility of other campaigns joining in fueled by widespread discontent among farmers…

… The trigger for the recent protest includes concerns over tariff-free wheat from Ukraine and cheap lamb from New Zealand flooding the market, exacerbating the challenges faced by UK farmers. Brexit-related complexities in exporting goods and perceived lack of change in importing procedures have compounded the issue.

I’m sure we’ll have a Trade Deal with the USA by 2035…