Trade deals after Brexit ‘will make world safer’
Britain will lead the way, says new trade chief in call for action to major powers
BRITAIN’S post-brexit trade deals will make the world a safer place by forging alliances between the UK and other nations, the country’s new chief trade negotiator says today.
Crawford Falconer warns of the “destructive political consequences of closed markets” as he calls on the G20 to break down trade barriers to boost global security.
Writing in the The Daily Telegraph, he says that Britain will lead efforts to avoid conflict by creating new trade allies around the world.
Mr Falconer will this week begin work alongside Liam Fox at the Department for International Trade and act as an ambassador for new deals. Setting out his plan, he writes: “There is a powerful political and security element to getting this right. History is littered with instances of the destructive political consequences of closed markets.
“This was a lesson well understood at the end of last century’s global conflicts. It was at the core of the post-war global order. And the UK was nothing less than one of the chief architects of that order.”
Mr Falconer, an experienced trade negotiator who also served as New Zealand’s ambassador to the World Trade Organization, states that the UK can help promote stability by striking deals with nations that want to benefit from the country’s democratic reputation. It comes in the wake of fears that the relationship between North Korea, a country largely closed to global trade, and the rest of the world has deteriorated, leading to the threat of war.
Mr Falconer says: “Many countries still recognise that open trade policies directed at engaging with others are at the core of any strategy to improve the global prospects for political openness and stability. They are already looking to partner with us to re-energise that agenda. Right now we are involved in 11 working groups with 16 different counties ranging from Mexico to Australia, and South Korea to New Zealand.”
David Davis, the Brexit Secretary, will this week attempt to push forward talks with the EU by publishing five position papers setting out Britain’s negotiating stance.
A key document is expected on the Government’s favoured approaches to enforcing rights outside the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice. Disagreement over the ECJ’S role has become a sticking point, with the UK aghast at Brussels’ insistence that EU citizens’ rights should be enforced by the court after Brexit. Ministers hope the paper will help smooth trade talks to enable any transitional period to be kept as short as possible. Mr Falconer
also warns against delaying trade talks. He writes: “World Trade Organization negotiations have stalled. So-called mega-regional trade deals like the trans-pacific trade deal and the EU-US negotiations have been put on ice. China set itself bold new liberalisation goals a few years ago, but has been unable to deliver. Meanwhile, in the last five years G20 countries have introduced nearly 400 measures that restrict trade.
“Those challenges are truly global in their scope and consequence. They require a leadership response that is truly global in its reach. The UK, as the world’s fifth largest economy, will now be in a position to make a real differ- ence.” Over the weekend, Change Britain, a pro-brexit think tank, reported that businesses have announced plans to invest over £50billion into the UK since last year’s referendum.
A second positive report claimed Britain could enjoy a big economic boost by removing tariffs on all imported goods after leaving the bloc.
Mr Falconer vows to captalise on Brexit: “No mystery as to where UK interests actually lie. I’m here to prepare for these important negotiations, ensuring we deploy the right strategies, and take advantage of the opportunities available to us both now and after we leave the EU.”