Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, which countries have assented to their existing free trade agreements with the UK as a result of UK membership of the EU being immediately rolled over once the UK leaves the EU.

Discussions with all partner countries have demonstrated a commitment to finding a pragmatic way to ensure continuity of our existing international agreements. As part of the Withdrawal Agreement, the EU agreed to notify its treaty partners that the UK be treated as a Member State for the purposes of EU international agreements during the Implementation Period (IP). This includes trade agreements.

The Government continues to prepare for all eventualities, including a ‘no deal’ Brexit scenario, in the event of which we will seek to bring into force bilateral agreements from exit day (29 March 2019) or as soon as possible thereafter. We are making good progress and have signed agreements with partner countries, such as Chile, the Faroe Islands and Eastern and Southern African Economic Partnership Agreement states, with others soon to follow. When we reach agreement with other countries will depend on the progress of ongoing discussions, taking into account their assessment of the possibility of a no deal; their own political or parliamentary situation; resource constraints and other factors. The Government will continue to inform Parliament and the public when agreements are signed.