UK has been agreeing trade deals at an average of 2.5 countries per month

EU’s average in the last 60 years is 0.2 countries per month

As the UK celebrates a deal with its 55th country, Facts4EU.Org summarises post-Brexit trade

Yesterday the Government announced that agreement had been reached in a video conference call between PM Boris Johnson and Minister Liz Truss from the UK, and PM Justin Trudeau and Minister Mary Ng from Canada, to roll over the current trading arrangements between the two countries, post-Brexit.

In what must be seen as a blow to the EU which loudly trumpeted its trade deal with Canada from 2016 onwards - despite it still not being ratified by the EU27’s parliaments four years later - the UK has now secured a ‘rollover’ of the current EU deal. The scene is now set for both parties to agree a bespoke deal which better reflects the interests of each country as they trade with each other going forward.

This brings the number of countries with which the UK has agreed post-Brexit trading terms to 55, according to the data supplied by the Dept for International Trade and by the UK's Trade Envoy to Egypt. (For some reason Liz Truss is only claiming 53.)

Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary

Countries with which the UK has agreed trade arrangements post-Brexit

ADDENDUM, 3pm 22 Nov 2020: Egypt is a late addition to the above list, even though they still appear on the Dept for International Trade's website as "Engagement ongoing". In fact they agreed around 10 days ago, according to UK Trade Envoy to Egypt Sir Jeffery Donaldson.

Total trade with these 55 countries totalled £171.8 billion in 2019 (ONS data)
Of this, UK-Canada trade totalled £22.4bn

Other significant deals include:-

Switzerland - £38.6bn
Japan - £31.6bn
South Korea - £11.7bn

Commenting on the Canada deal yesterday, Boris Johnson said:

“This is a fantastic agreement for Britain which secures transatlantic trade with one of our closest allies. British businesses export everything from electric cars to sparkling wine to Canada, and today’s deal will ensure that trade goes from strength to strength.
“Our negotiators have been working flat out to secure trade deals for the UK, and from as early next year we have agreed to start work on a new, bespoke trade deal with Canada that will go even further in meeting the needs of our economy.”

Canada knows which side of the pancake the maple syrup is spread on

This is a smart move by Canada. The Government there will know that over two-fifths of Canadian goods exports are bought by UK companies and consumers. With the UK gone, Canada’s trade deal with the EU – still not ratified by the EU four years later – is worth a great deal less than it was.

The EU-Canada deal took 12 years to negotiate, and as we stated it is still not ratified by the EU27's parliaments. (The UK Parliament ratified it within months of it being signed.)

Canada is yet another country which forms part of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which now accounts for 13.5% of world trade and has 495 million consumers - many more than the EU. The omens are looking good for the UK to join this trading bloc over the coming two years.

Observations

Maple syrup with our pancakes, next Shrove Tuesday?

This latest in a long line of recent post-Brexit trade agreements with non-EU countries is to be welcomed. Canada is a country with which the UK has had a very long history over the centuries, and Her Majesty the Queen is still the Monarch.

It is of course true that Mr Trudeau is not a man whose political ideology will be shared by the majority of Brexiteers. Indeed we believe he is several kilos of maple leaves short of a jar of maple syrup, but trade is trade.

What matters is that British exporters will have continuity from 01 January 2021, and that jobs will be secured. There is plenty of time thereafter to finesse a bespoke trade deal with Canada, as there is with other non-EU countries.

Why is the Government still obsessed with an EU trade deal?

It is our belief that Boris Johnson will announce a trade deal with the EU in the next few weeks. We have no firm evidence as yet, but we believe that this trade deal will be a betrayal of the views of the 17.4 million British people who voted to leave the European Union almost four-and-a-half years ago.

If you would like us to be there, fighting for a free, independent and sovereign United Kingdom, please donate towards our work today. Quick, secure, and confidential donation links are below this article.

We can’t do this without you. Thank you so much.

[ Sources: UK Office for National Statistics | No.10 | EU Commission | Statistics Canada ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Sat 21 Nov 2020

Click here to go to our news headlines

Please scroll down to COMMENT on the above article.
And don't forget to actually post your message after you have previewed it!

Something to say about this? Scroll down for reader comments

Since before the EU Referendum, Brexit Facts4EU.Org
has been the most prolific researcher and publisher of Brexit facts in the world.

Supported by MPs, MEPs, & other groups, our work has impact.

We think facts matter. Please donate today, so that we can continue to ensure a clean Brexit is finally delivered.

Any credit card user

Quick One-off

From £5 - £1,000

Monthly

From £3 per month

Paypal Users Only - Choose amount first

Quick One-off

Monthly

PLEASE NOTE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT : You can write your comment under any existing comments below. After you have clicked to preview your comment, you MUST then click on the CAPTCHA system and send you comment, for it to be published. Thank you!

Reader Comments 27

1. Tom Billingham , Sunday, November 22, 2020, 07:33:

But, but, but the UK won't be strong enough to negotiate new trade deals on its own ;-)

2. Voice of Reason , Sunday, November 22, 2020, 07:45:

All these are 'rollover' deals, more or less cut and pasted from the deals we had a part of the EU. The hard work has already been done.
The real test will be how long it takes deals to be signed and sealed from scratch with the likes of the US.

3. Laura , Sunday, November 22, 2020, 08:20:

Dear Voice of Treason, thanks, but we all know what 'rollover' deals mean, and it's in the article anyway. Why would we start an existing deal from scratch? Makes no sense. The hard work is not so much the deal it self, it's to get your trading partner to agree to it. The EU did not write all deals from scratch either as you're trying to pretend!

4. Tim the Toolman , Sunday, November 22, 2020, 08:23:

@ Voice of Reason; agree these roll over deals are not really bring anything to the UK as all the Quota’s are the EU’s f the usecthem up what’s in it for the UK?

5. William Pentelow , Sunday, November 22, 2020, 08:26:

Voice of reason, REASON dictates it couldn't possibly take 15 or so years to do a deal and still not have it ratified after a further 4 years.
Your position is indefensible, put hey there is always someone ready to urinate on the parade.

6. Sydney Ashurst , Sunday, November 22, 2020, 09:12:

The EU said they would not do MINI deals but with their three negotiating blockers making up the unresolved 5% they will have to, even accepting WTO.
The EU are playing Russian roulette, they will not admit its their demands - Fishing, level playing field and governance, that are holding up a Trade deal.
The EU said they would treat the UK as a third Country when we left. NO third Country would would accept the three EU demands ( it would take away their sovereignty), as part of a trade deal. It has been pointed out numerous times the EU ignored its level playing field rules.
EU said they would treat the UK as a third Country when we left. NO third Country would would accept the three EU demands ( it would take away their sovereignty) in trade deals.
As time is tight due to Brussels shilly-shallying it is suggested that the deal could be conditional on the later approval of the EU Parliament is unacceptable - what if they later rejected it?

7. Sydney Ashurst , Sunday, November 22, 2020, 11:40:

The EU will not publish details of the 95% supposedly agreed.
To be agreed it must be based on CP211, February 2020 The Future Relationship with the EU | The UK’s Approach to Negotiations
Lord Frosts letter to Michel Barnier on 19th May is important :
Dear Michel
UK DRAFT LEGAL TEXTS
As I indicated during the last negotiating Round on 15 May, the Government has decided to make public the various draft legal texts we have sent you in recent weeks. The texts are available at
https://www.gov.uk/governme...
On Fisheries:
The UK proposes the following legal text to form the basis for discussions with the EU on a Fisheries Framework Agreement. In putting forward this proposal, the UK reserves the right to amend, supplement or withdraw proposals in the light of negotiations and the proposals put forward by the European Union. The general and final provisions in this text, including appropriate exemptions may require further adjustment or amendment in light of the negotiations.
The UK proposal reflects the fact that, at the end of 2020, the UK will be an independent coastal State and will no longer be bound by the Common Fisheries Policy, and
that the current arrangements on quota-sharing will end. In line with the UK’s commitment to best available science, future fishing opportunities should be based on the principle of zonal attachment. The UK proposal is based on relevant international precedents, including the EU’s separate fisheries agreements with other coastal states. Through this agreement, and the annual negotiations it provides for, the UK would fulfil its obligations under UNCLOS to cooperate with the EU on the sustainable management of shared stocks.

8. Sydney Ashurst , Sunday, November 22, 2020, 11:54:

The Chancellor - Rishi Sunak backs up the PM's instructions to Lord Frost and promises to walk away with no deal if EU refuses to back down.
Mr Sunak claimed the UK is ready to walk away from negotiations if a good deal cannot be agreed. Ahead of his Comprehensive Spending Review next week, the Chancellor also claimed the UK will not be bullied into a bad deal despite the impacts of the virus. The Chancellor warned if the two sides fail to agree a deal, it will be due to the EU's failure to compromise.
With the EU stating, UK officials had failed to compromise on the main areas of divergence, Mr Sunak insisted Brussels has not realised Britain's newfound sovereignty.

9. Derek P, Warks , Sunday, November 22, 2020, 15:29:

Another great report facts4eu. Goodness knows where we would be able to read things like this if you weren't here! Well done all.

10. Theresa's Pimple , Sunday, November 22, 2020, 15:40:

The EU are going to have to be very careful not to have their previous trade with the UK decimated by the deals that we are currently doing with countries outside of the EU.
How long would it take, I wonder, for their £100bn trade surplus to be significantly reduced as these new agreements mean that we can source much of that surplus elsewhere in the world??
I'd be willing to bet that their intransigence is going to cost them dear.
If I were a business from one of these 'new' countries, I'd be ramping up my presence in the UK to 'make hay'. If I were a business from the EU, I'd be getting pretty angry at the EU's lack of willingness to make a deal with their biggest non-EU market.
Ho Hum, that's just the way it is with them!!

27 comments, page 1 of 3

Add comment:

Please note: Your email address is never published unless you choose to enter it.