United Kingdom Secretary of State for Trade Liam Fox gave assurances in Buenos Aires on Tuesday 12 December that the UK, currently in the process of withdrawing from the EU, would play a more prominent role at the WTO.
“We face constant challenges in keeping the multilateral system relevant. What has not changed over the decades is the United Kingdom’s unwavering support … for the multilateral trading system”, Fox stated in plenary session at the 11th WTO ministerial conference.
“I look forward to the UK taking a more prominent role in the WTO as we leave the EU and I pledge here to respect our WTO commitments and obligations to the WTO membership as we leave the EU”, he said.
Along with promoting trade as the main driver of development and digital trade issues, including new rules, Fox highlighted domestic regulation on services as the UK’s three priorities in Buenos Aires.
“As tariffs have come down and trading services have increased, non-tariff measures are increasingly the main source of frustration for companies wanting to do business in others jurisdictions. Predictability and access based on regulatory outcomes are what matter for business and consumers”, he stressed. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)