UK has now agreed trade arrangements with more than 100 non-EU countries

Brexit Britain’s non-EU trade arrangements boom, as Boris beetles off to Brussels

Announcements from the International Trade Dept debunk the Remainer myths again

The Department for International Trade continues to announce good news on a weekly basis. Yesterday it was confirmed that the UK has signed three more trade deals. Whilst we knew these were coming, signed agreements are good confirmations to have.

The three countries with whom the UK signed yesterday are:

Norway
Iceland
Kenya

The agreement with Norway and Iceland covers trade in goods, and ensures 95% of goods trade with Norway and over 90% with Iceland will remain tariff-free, providing businesses with certainty that they can continue to operate on the same terms as they do today when the transition period ends.

The agreement with Kenya will benefit the approximately 2,500 UK businesses exporting goods to Kenya each year, including many UK suppliers of machinery, electronics and technical equipment, where continued tariff-free access will be guaranteed.

Meanwhile, Boris beetles off to Brussels

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister is preparing to travel to Brussels later today, for dinner with the President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. It now seems likely that this will result in a decision to restart talks between negotiators on Thursday, continuing for many more days.

Brexit Britain has now agreed trading arrangements with 102 countries – but not with the EU

Below is our Brexit Facts4EU.Org analysis of all the countries with whom the UK has trading arrangements in place from 01 January 2021.

The first table shows the 55 developed countries and developing countries where a specific trade deal of some kind has been agreed, and the second table shows the 47 eligible developing countries where trade has been agreed to take place under the UK’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary

Agreed trading arrangements post-Brexit – 102 countries

In addition to the above, the UK has lodged its tariff schedule with the World Trade Organisation, which means that UK businesses know the terms of trade with all other countries around the world. The only uncertainty surrounds the EU, and whether a trade deal will be agreed or not.

Observations

It might have been thought that the Department for International Trade would have trumpeted the fact that the UK now has trade arrangements in place with more than 100 countries worldwide. Certainly the EU Commission would have done this.

Alas it falls to us to do the analysis and to report this significant milestone in the progress of Brexit Britain. This is splendid news and we look forward to updating this information as more trade arrangements are agreed in the coming days and weeks.

Whilst these 102 trading arrangements are not of course all free trade deals, they nevertheless allow trade to continue normally with all these countries, without the EU's involvement.

It is looking increasingly as though Mr Johnson’s Government is attempting to reach a fudged deal with the EU which betrays the Leave vote and which will not deliver a fully free, fully independent, and fully sovereign United Kingdom on 01 January. We therefore thought readers might like to read some good news.

Finally, if you would like us still to be around, analysing the latest critical Brexit developments and publishing clear facts for MPs and the public, please make a donation today. Less than 1% of our readers donate. We know that times are hard for many people because of the Covid measures, but if you are in a position to donate then we would be very appreciative. Quick, secure and confidential donation links are below this article. Thank you so much if you can help today. It only takes a couple of minutes.

[ Sources: Department for International Trade ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Wed 09 Dec 2020

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Reader Comments 18

1. Ashley Great Britain , Wednesday, December 09, 2020, 07:31:

All eyes on Boris!
Do the right thing!
The reform party is a strong viable option.
General election is only a few years away.

2. Sydney Ashurst , Wednesday, December 09, 2020, 08:18:

Historically when we collaborate with the French it always seems to go horribly wrong, they want to be top dog. De Gaulle did not want the UK in his club but we foolishly insisted. Both Germany and France set the EU rules, little wonder they are setting the rules for the divorce.
The impasse is of the EU's making. Politicians like orientals do not want to lose face, so wont see sweet reason and back down on their red lines.
Hard luck Boris.

3. James Bertram , Wednesday, December 09, 2020, 09:40:

Local elections in May. Is it to be 9% for the Tories again?
0% would be more deserved.

4. Paul A , Wednesday, December 09, 2020, 09:55:

Boris, you can't please all the people all the time, but your job is to implement Brexit as voted for by the majority who voted for you and the Tory Party to put into effect. That means leaving the eu in toto, absolutely and completely. No half measures, no tilted playing field, no fudge, no diplomatic niceties, nothing but OUT.
The eu is not a 'friend' nor is it a 'colleague' so stop addressing and treating them this way - behind the veneer they are thugs in suits who are doing their job, apparently very well.
Now do yours - time to walk away.

5. Oliver Thompson , Wednesday, December 09, 2020, 12:09:

But leaving the EU completely is not what everyone voted for. In fact nobody who voted leave knew what they voted for as there is still no one on the planet who knows what brexit will mean on Jan 1st.
Vote remain : Nothing changes, this was perfectly clear and understood.
Vote Leave : Slogans and promises, and still, with just 3 weeks to go, no idea of what it truly means.

6. Emma J , Wednesday, December 09, 2020, 12:41:

Oliver Thompson, Nothing changes? Really? This is probably the most naive and idealistic statement I've heard. Even my Rejoiner friends don't think that.
What is perfectly clear is that you don't understand how the EU operates.

7. AJ , Wednesday, December 09, 2020, 14:27:

Two bits of info that would be really useful:
1} how many of these deals are rollovers from EU agreements and how many are genuinely new. ie Does this mean that we're better off than when we were in the EU or just no worse off? I was hoping Brexit would set its sights higher than the latter...
2} What proportion of trade do these actually ycover? As other analysis by this website has shown there are different levels of "free trade agreement" - are these full agreements like the EU single market or minor ones like selling Cheddar cheese to Japan? For example many trade agreements exclude services, which are one of the few things we have a positive balance for.
Not expecting an answer though as it may not support the rhetoric.

8. Bob , Wednesday, December 09, 2020, 14:30:

4 Paul A - I know, it's really underhand that the EU is putting its best interests first. They should ignore that and just so what we want them to do. After all, we're British.

9. Sydney Ashurst , Wednesday, December 09, 2020, 14:47:

On Monday you produced the fact: The ‘Level Playing Field’ doesn’t even exist within the EU itself
PMQ today reveals: Tonight's tete-a-tete is not a substitute for the negotiations being led by Michel Barnier and David Frost; instead, it is intended to unlock those talks and allow them to resume with a view to reaching a deal by the end of this week.
So the most we can expect is that Lord Frost will be sent on another wild goose chase'. No imminent climb-down by Ursula and the Council.

10. Richard Schaller , Wednesday, December 09, 2020, 15:18:

As a Monty Python sketch would put it “You try telling that to Remainers, they won’t believe you!”

18 comments, page 1 of 2

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