The International Trade Committee ran an inquiry scrutinising the Government’s free trade agreement (FTA) with Australia. It took written and oral evidence to inform a report on the FTA.
Traidcraft Exchange’s response focused on the seeming disconnect between the UK Government’s stated objectives on climate change and development and its approach to trade post-Brexit, demonstrated in the FTA with Australia. These concerns fall under:
a. increased emissions due to FTAs
b. choice of FTA partners
c. climate content of FTAs
d. climate-related content of FTAs
e. development content of FTAs
f. development-related FTAs
g. scrutiny of FTAs
We urge the Government to develop and publish an over-arching trade strategy that aligns with its climate and development objectives, to steer its FTA negotiations and other trade policy decisions going forward. Without such a strategy, it is difficult to imagine that the missed opportunities of the FTA with Australia will not repeat themselves.