Lords EU Committee to hear evidence on the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement

The committee will consider the implications of the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement on trade in goods. It will also examine the agreement with a focus on non-tariff barriers (rules of origin and technical barriers to trade), customs arrangements, aviation and road transport and the level playing field.

The session will be held remotely and streamed on Parliament TV.

At 10.30am the committee will hear from:

• Christophe Bondy, Partner at Steptoe
• Nadiya Nychay, Partner at Dentons
• David Thorneloe, Legal Director at Pinsent Masons.

The questions the committee is likely to ask include:

• As it relates to trade in goods, what key issues should the Government be looking to resolve in future negotiations and dialogue with the EU and individual member states?
• How will firms demonstrate compliance with the rules of origin outlined in the agreement?
• Which areas of the agreement pose the biggest challenges (including legal compliance challenges) for trade in goods? What support or guidance do you think would be beneficial for businesses?
• The Sanitary and Phytosanitary chapter of the agreement establishes an objective that the parties shall not use SPS measures to create “unnecessary barriers to trade”. In the absence of SPS equivalence, does the agreement minimise trade barriers in this area?
• What implications do level playing field provisions in the agreement have for businesses, and to what extent do they constrain future Government policy making?
• What new restrictions will there be on commercial transport connectivity for road transport and aviation under the TCA?