Taking back control of trade

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Publication Date May 2017
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The Institute for Government is an independent charity in the United Kingdom working to increase government effectiveness.

It works with all the main political parties at Westminster and with senior civil servants in Whitehall. It provides evidence based advice that draws on best practice from around the world.

The Institute for Government is a registered charity in England and Wales (Registered Charity No.1123926).

The charitable objectives of the Institute are:

+ The advancement of education in the art and science of government in the UK for the benefit of the public and on a non-party political basis;
+ The promotion of efficient public administration of government and public service in the UK by providing programmes of education, training, research and study for the public benefit and on a non-party political basis.
The United Kingdom will only reap the benefits of taking back control of trade policy after it leaves the European Union if government radically changed the way it operated.

Taking Back Control of Trade Policy says that, despite the creation of a new trade department, the civil service and ministers are not even close to being ready to negotiate – let alone implement – new global trading relationships. The paper sets out the how the UK can become a powerful, independent player in international trade.

The authors argue that good trade policy requires civil servants to work across departments, collaborate with business, be open with consumers and the public and spend their careers developing deep knowledge and expertise. But this is not Whitehall’s normal way of doing business.

Ministers will have to make tricky choices about the country’s priorities and recognise there is much more to trade policy than making deals. They should avoid sinking resources into negotiations with the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) or the USA, prioritising instead the replication of existing EU deals with Canada, South Korea, Switzerland, Turkey and Singapore.

Source Link Link to Main Source https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/sites/default/files/publications/IFGJ5448_Brexit_report_160517_WEB_v2.pdf
Related Links
ESO: Background information: Nothing to declare. A plan for UK-EU trade outside the Customs Union http://www.europeansources.info/record/nothing-to-declare-a-plan-for-uk-eu-trade-outside-the-customs-union/
IFG: Publication: Taking back control of trade policy, May 2017 https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publications/taking-back-control-trade-policy

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