UK-Japan trade agreement: Lords to examine impact on food, services and investment

The evidence session will focus on analysing key areas of the agreement. This includes looking at tariff rate quotas for agricultural products, such as Cheese, and what the agreement would mean for UK farmers. It will also look at whether the agreement is a stepping stone to joining the CPTPP, as well as examine services trade provisions recently announced by the government, and will discuss how the state aid provisions offered to Japan relate to those being discussed with the EU.

The evidence session will be conducted on Zoom and can be followed on Parliament TV from 3pm today.

Giving evidence will be:

• Andy Burwell, Director for International Trade, Confederation of British Industry
• Nick von Westenholz, Director of EU Exit and International Trade, National Farmers Union
• Dr Minako Morita-Jaeger, Fellow of the UK Trade Policy Observatory, University of Sussex

Topics are likely to include:

• Overview of UK-Japan trade and evaluation of what the UK has achieved in the negotiation
• How businesses have been impacted by COVID-19 in the context of dealing with the UK pursuing negotiations with Japan and other potential partners in parallel
• What is meant by the Government securing market access for UK malt exports under an existing quota and whether it allows newer and greater market access in Japan
• The opportunities provided to British farmers by the increase in the number of geographical indications
• Whether the CPTPP represents a second chance for the UK to agree more ambitious provisions with Japan
• What the investor-state dispute settlement would mean for the UK and whether it would need to sign up to join the CPTPP
• Services trade provisions most useful to UK businesses and evaluation of these provisions
• How state aid can help businesses/sectors