Minister for Trade (): The Department for Business
and Trade continues to make good progress on its ambitious trade
negotiations programme. This statement provides Parliament with
an update on the UK’s respective trade negotiations with Canada
and Switzerland.
Canada Negotiations
The eighth round of UK-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA)
negotiations began on 27 November and concluded on 1 December.
This round was held virtually, across all sessions.
Technical discussions were held across [24] policy areas over
[60] separate sessions. They included detailed discussions on
treaty text.
Both parties built on the momentum from agreeing in principle UK
accession to CPTPP in March 2023. The negotiations continue to
reflect our shared ambition to secure a progressive deal which
strengthens our existing trading relationship, already worth over
£24.8 billion in the year to Q3 2022.
Switzerland Negotiations
The third round of negotiations on a UK-Switzerland enhanced Free
Trade Agreement (FTA) took place from 27 November to 14 December.
During the round, which was held virtually, UK officials held
technical, text-based discussions with their Swiss counterparts
in a number of areas, such as procurement, investment,
small-medium enterprises, sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS)
measures and animal welfare.
UK negotiators were able to make significant progress and agree
draft treaty text across a number of areas. There were good
discussions on services and investment, where the UK is working
with the Swiss to provide long-term certainty and greater market
access for UK-Swiss service suppliers, boosting bilateral trade
in this area worth £23.7 billion.
In other chapters, negotiators used this round to greater explore
differences to approaches and consider ways to address them,
while delivering against negotiation objectives.
Overall, these discussions reflect the UK and Switzerland’s
shared ambition to agree a modern, comprehensive agreement,
building on the current UK-Swiss trade relationship.
Conversations are set to continue into Round 4, scheduled for
spring 2024, where the UK side expects to continue productive
discussions.
Summary
The Government remains clear that any deal we sign, including
with Canada and Switzerland will be in the best interests of the
British people and the UK economy. We will not compromise on our
high environmental and labour protections, public health, animal
welfare and food standards, and we will maintain our right to
regulate in the public interest. We are also clear that during
these negotiations, the NHS, and the services it provides are not
on the table.
His Majesty’s Government will continue to work closely with
Canada and Switzerland to ensure negotiations proceed at pace and
takes place on terms that are right for the UK.
The Government will continue to keep Parliament updated as these
negotiations progress.
