Government Response: UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement

The International Trade Committee has today published the Government Response to its Report on the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.

In its Report, the Committee welcomed the signing of the UK-Japan Agreement, noting that it had generally been positively received as it brought much needed continuity and certainty to UK businesses involved in trade with Japan.

The Committee noted that the Government had been keen to present the Agreement as much more than a simple “roll-over” of the EU-Japan trade agreement, which applied to the UK until the end of the post-Brexit transition period. The MPs said that, while the differences between the UK-Japan and EU-Japan deals “may not be as extensive as claimed”, there are “notable exceptions, particularly the provisions on digital and data, and financial services.”

The Government’s response addresses each of the Committee’s observations in turn.