Guidance

UK trade agreements with non-EU countries

Find out about the trade agreements the UK has concluded that are in effect and the progress of our discussions with other countries.

As of 1 January 2021, EU trade agreements no longer apply to the UK.

The UK has sought to reproduce the effects of trading agreements that previously applied to it to ensure continuity for UK business.

Trade agreements in effect

Agreements with the following countries and trading blocs are in effect. Where the agreement has not yet been ratified by both countries, provisional application or bridging mechanisms have been put in place to ensure continuity of trade.

Agreement Country Entry into effect mechanism (1) Total UK trade with countries, 2020 (£ million) (2)
Albania Albania Full ratification 80
Andean countries Colombia Bridging mechanism 2,043 (total for Andean countries)
Andean countries Ecuador Full ratification 2,043 (total for Andean countries)
Andean countries Peru Full ratification 2,043 (total for Andean countries)
Canada Canada Full ratification 19,061
Cameroon Cameroon Full ratification 169
CARIFORUM trade bloc Antigua and Barbuda Provisional application 2,713 (total for CARIFORUM trade bloc)
CARIFORUM trade bloc Bahamas Provisional application 2,713 (total for CARIFORUM trade bloc)
CARIFORUM trade bloc Barbados Provisional application 2,713 (total for CARIFORUM trade bloc)
CARIFORUM trade bloc Belize Provisional application 2,713 (total for CARIFORUM trade bloc)
CARIFORUM trade bloc Dominica Provisional application 2,713 (total for CARIFORUM trade bloc)
CARIFORUM trade bloc Dominican Republic Provisional application 2,713 (total for CARIFORUM trade bloc)
CARIFORUM trade bloc Grenada Provisional application 2,713 (total for CARIFORUM trade bloc)
CARIFORUM trade bloc Guyana Provisional application 2,713 (total for CARIFORUM trade bloc)
CARIFORUM trade bloc Jamaica Provisional application 2,713 (total for CARIFORUM trade bloc)
CARIFORUM trade bloc St. Kitts and Nevis Provisional application 2,713 (total for CARIFORUM trade bloc)
CARIFORUM trade bloc Saint Lucia Provisional application 2,713 (total for CARIFORUM trade bloc)
CARIFORUM trade bloc St. Vincent and the Grenadines Provisional application 2,713 (total for CARIFORUM trade bloc)
CARIFORUM trade bloc Suriname Provisional application 2,713 (total for CARIFORUM trade bloc)
CARIFORUM trade bloc Trinidad and Tobago Provisional application 2,713 (total for CARIFORUM trade bloc)
Central America Costa Rica Full ratification 1,276 (total for Central America)
Central America El Salvador Full ratification 1,276 (total for Central America)
Central America Guatemala Full ratification 1,276 (total for Central America)
Central America Honduras Full ratification 1,276 (total for Central America)
Central America Nicaragua Full ratification 1,276 (total for Central America)
Central America Panama Full ratification 1,276 (total for Central America)
Chile Chile Full ratification 1,391
Côte d’Ivoire Côte d’Ivoire Full ratification 511
Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) trade bloc Mauritius Full ratification 1,534 (total for Eastern and Southern Africa trade bloc)
Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) trade bloc Seychelles Full ratification 1,534 (total for Eastern and Southern Africa trade bloc)
Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) trade bloc Zimbabwe Full ratification 1,534 (total for Eastern and Southern Africa trade bloc)
Egypt Egypt Full ratification 2,739
Faroe Islands Faroe Islands Full ratification 358
Georgia Georgia Full ratification 163
Ghana Ghana Provisional application 905
Iceland and Norway Iceland Provisional application 21,214 (total for Iceland and Norway)
Iceland and Norway Norway Provisional application 21,214 (total for Iceland and Norway)
Israel Israel Full ratification 4,815
Japan Japan Full ratification 24,230
Jordan Jordan Full ratification 607
Kenya (3) Kenya Bridging mechanism 1,095
Kosovo Kosovo Full ratification 14
Lebanon Lebanon Full ratification 602
Liechtenstein Liechtenstein Full ratification 178
Mexico Mexico Full ratification 3,750
Moldova Moldova Provisional application 831
Morocco Morocco Provisional application 1,513
North Macedonia North Macedonia Provisional application 1,488
Pacific states Fiji Provisional application 255 (total for Pacific States)
Pacific states Papua New Guinea Provisional application 255 (total for Pacific States)
Pacific states Samoa (4) Bridging mechanism 255 (total for Pacific States)
Pacific states Solomon Islands (4) Bridging mechanism 255 (total for Pacific States)
Palestinian Authority Palestinian Authority Full ratification 19
Serbia Serbia Full ratification 615
Singapore Singapore Full ratification 15,756
South Korea South Korea Full ratification 12,468
Southern Africa Customs Union and Mozambique (SACUM) trade bloc Botswana Full ratification 9,088 (total for SACUM trade bloc)
Southern Africa Customs Union and Mozambique (SACUM) trade bloc Eswatini Full ratification 9,088 (total for SACUM trade bloc)
Southern Africa Customs Union and Mozambique (SACUM) trade bloc Lesotho Full ratification 9,088 (total for SACUM trade bloc)
Southern Africa Customs Union and Mozambique (SACUM) trade bloc Mozambique Full ratification 9,088 (total for SACUM trade bloc)
Southern Africa Customs Union and Mozambique (SACUM) trade bloc Namibia Full ratification 9,088 (total for SACUM trade bloc)
Southern Africa Customs Union and Mozambique (SACUM) trade bloc South Africa Full ratification 9,088 (total for SACUM trade bloc)
Switzerland Switzerland Full ratification 33,873
Tunisia Tunisia Full ratification 430
Turkey Turkey Provisional application 15,014
Ukraine Ukraine Full ratification 1,3096
Vietnam Vietnam Provisional application 4,840

Notes

1) Provisional application is a method well established in international treaty practice to bring agreements into effect ahead of entry into force. Bridging mechanisms are an alternative means to ensure continuity of trade, where the UK or treaty partners are unable to fully ratify or provisionally apply an agreement. These non-binding mechanisms include Memoranda of Understanding or Exchange of Diplomatic Notes and ensure continuity of trade.

2) Source of trade statistics: ONS UK total trade: all countries, non-seasonally adjusted April to June 2021.

3) This agreement is open to accession by other members of East African Community.

4) Samoa and the Solomon Islands have not yet acceded to the Pacific States-UK Interim Economic Partnership Agreement (pending a decision on their accession), however preferences under the agreement took effect on 1 January 2021 through a Memorandum of Understanding.

Trade agreements still in discussion

The following agreements are still under discussion with countries where trading agreements were in place before 1 January 2021.

For these countries:

Country or bloc Status of discussions
Algeria (1) Engagement ongoing, agreement is not yet in place. Trade takes place under the Generalised Scheme of Preferences for imports. UK exports will be subject to partner country national legislation.
Bosnia and Herzegovina (1) Engagement ongoing, agreement is not yet in place. Trade takes place under WTO terms for imports. UK exports will be subject to partner country national legislation.
Montenegro Engagement ongoing, agreement is not yet in place. Trade takes place under WTO terms.

Note

(1) Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina are not members of the World Trade Organization.

Trading with countries in Customs Unions with the EU

Andorra and San Marino are part of customs unions with the EU. The UK has agreed with the EU that all products originating in San Marino and all non-agricultural products (chapters 25-97) originating in Andorra are to be treated as originating in the EU under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement as long as Andorra and San Marino apply to UK products the same preferences that the EU applies to them. These products benefit from zero tariffs, where they meet the relevant rules of origin. Trade with Andorra of agricultural products (chapters 01-24) is not in scope of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement and takes place under WTO terms.

Mutual recognition agreements

A mutual recognition agreement (MRA) is one in which countries recognise the results of one another’s conformity assessments.

A conformity assessment is a set of processes that confirm whether a product meets the specified legal requirements. This can include testing, inspection, and certification.

The UK has signed MRAs with:

MRA coverage in trade agreements

The UK’s trade agreement with Switzerland incorporates elements of the EU-Switzerland MRA.

The UK’s trade agreement with Israel covers conformity assessment of industrial products. This means that existing arrangements with Israel remain in place.

The UK-Japan CEPA replicates the effects of the existing EU-Japan MRA.

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Published 29 January 2020
Last updated 9 December 2021 
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