UK-Australia trade deal
READING TIME 15 mins
The UK is now several years into the establishment of its post-Brexit independent trade policy, and the first wholly new post-Brexit trade agreement with Australia has been ratified and came into force on 31st May 2023. It has been a crucial test of the democratic processes by which Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) are negotiated and ratified, made all the more important by the fact that the UK is also engaged in a raft of other trade negotiations around the world.
What is TJM calling for?
The deals cover many aspects of our everyday lives, including food standards, the NHS and environmental rules. However we argue that neither the public nor Parliament have been given enough of a say in the process of agreeing the deals. We are calling for a democratic and transparent procedure for the negotiation and ratification of trade agreements.
"These are the UK’s first independent full free trade deals. The process of getting to this point has shown in no uncertain terms that the UK’s trade scrutiny processes are not fit for purpose."
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Reports and Briefings
Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill Second Reading
This parliamentary briefing looks at the Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill which is necessary for the ratification of the UK-Aus and UK...
