Following the signing of a Canada-United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement this past winter – which ensured the continuation of the trading relationship established with the U.K. under CETA – Canada and the U.K. are to begin the process of negotiating the terms of a formal bilateral trade agreement to be concluded within no more than three years.
However, this process may be overtaken if the U.K.’s application to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) trade agreement is accepted as this trade agreement already includes Canada, Australia, Brunei, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. The United States, who was a leader in the creation of the original TPP under the Obama administration as a counter to China’s growing economic influence, withdrew its participation under the Trump administration and its “America First” policies. A commission established under the CPTPP is set to determine the accession process with the U.K. Canadian Trade Minister Mary Ng has already expressed support for the U.K. to join the CPTPP.
Request to CA Members: As CA is being asked by Canadian negotiators for the views/priorities of our industry in either a Canada-U.K. trade agreement, or the U.K. joining the CPTPP, any issues or comments which you may have would be most useful to us. Please forward them to Susan Nieuwhof (snieuwhof@cosmeticsalliance.ca).
