January 26, 2024
1 min read

UK halts trade negotiations with Canada

Before Britain left the EU at the end of 2020, Canada rolled over existing trade arrangements to ensure free trade could continue….reports Asian Lite News

Britain has suspended talks on a free trade deal with Canada amid unhappiness on both sides about the lack of access to agricultural markets, Canadian officials said.

The talks – which started in March 2022 – are among a number of negotiations Britain has launched around the world in the wake of its decision to leave the European Union, which excluded it from existing EU free trade deals.

“We are disappointed that negotiations with the UK are being paused. Their decision to continue to maintain market access barriers for our agriculture industry and unwillingness to reach a mutual agreement has only stalled negotiations,” said a spokesperson for Canadian trade minister Mary Ng.

Ng has contacted British business minister Kemi Badenoch to express Canada’s disappointment, the spokesperson added. Canadian farmers complain they have been effectively shut out of the British beef market because of regulations banning the use of hormones.

In a statement posted on X, a British government spokesperson said “we reserve the right to pause negotiations with any country if progress is not being made”.

Before Britain left the EU at the end of 2020, Canada rolled over existing trade arrangements to ensure free trade could continue.

One particular arrangement dealing with cheese access has now expired and a Canadian government official blamed Britain for the lack of an extension deal.

“Unfortunately, Britain did not act as fast as it should have in negotiations, and expects Canada to just give [it] these things,” an official told the Reuters news agency.

Both sides said they were ready to resume talks. According to official British data, total bilateral trade in goods and services was £25.9bn in the year ending 30 June 2023, when Canada was Britain’s 18th largest trading partner.

According to Canadian data, bilateral trade with Britain in 2022 accounted for just 2.7% of its total.

ALSO READ: UK, US sanction senior Houthis 

Previous Story

UK Army chief says people of UK are ‘prewar generation’ 

Next Story

Chagos islanders stunned as Cameron rules out return

Latest from -Top News

Activists Targeted Again in Balochistan

The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) on Tuesday condemned the enforced disappearance of Baloch leader Ghani Baloch, blaming Pakistan’s Law Enforcement Agencies and Frontier Corps….reports Asian Lite News The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC),

Islamabad-Ankara-Baku Axis Sharpens Against India

Both Turkey and Azerbaijan have openly expressed solidarity with Pakistan and backed Islamabad in its military standoff with India, this month….reports Asian Lite News The evolving alliance between Islamabad, Ankara, and Baku

B’desh SC Acquits Islamist in War Crimes Case

ATM Azharul Islam was slapped with the charges of crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War of the country in 1971….reports Asian Lite News The Supreme Court of Bangladesh on Tuesday

India Targets Pak Terror Ties in Guyana

The delegation met the Guyanese President, Mohamed Irfaan Ali, who had hosted a dinner to celebrate friendship and shared aspirations between the two nations…reports Asian Lite News Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, currently

EU Vows US Trade Deal

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen phoned Trump on Sunday, after which he agreed to postpone the planned tariff increase until July 9….reports Asian Lite News The European Commission remains “fully
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Blair’s thinktank seeks return of pay-per-mile road pricing  

Tony Blair Institute has suggested that instead of restoring fuel

McCallum highlights surge in children linked to terror plots

Under-18s represent 13 per cent of people being investigated by