The entry into force of the United Kingdom to CPTPP is near: it only remains for the Senate in Mexico and the Parliament in Canada to approve this ratification.

The ratification process has already concluded in the internal processes of the other nine members.

This free trade agreement has disciplines aligned with international best practices in terms of transparency and open markets.

Who are the members? Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, New Zealand, Singapore and Vietnam. 

The entry into force of the United Kingdom to CPTPP

The parties to this trade agreement signed a Protocol of Accession with the United Kingdom in July 2023. CPTPP will enter into force for the United Kingdom once all members and the United Kingdom complete their respective domestic ratification processes.

While in Mexico ratification could be voted in the Senate possibly in the current Legislature, which concludes at the end of this month, in Canada this process is longer and is still ongoing.

CPTPP entered into force on December 30, 2018 for the first six countries that ratified the agreement, and has since entered into force with respect to the remaining members. 

As a result, all member countries benefit from preferential access in international trade within the bloc. 

The Treaty also provides for possible expansion to include new economies, provided they have the capacity to meet its high standards. 

Following the conclusion of negotiations that began in 2021, on July 16, 2023, CPTPP members and the United Kingdom signed a protocol setting out the terms and commitments of the United Kingdom’s accession to the Agreement. 

Brexit

The United Kingdom left the European Union on January 31, 2020, in a process known as Brexit. Since then, the relationship between the two parties has been regulated by the post-Brexit trade and cooperation agreement. This agreement includes key areas such as trade, travel and immigration.

Following Brexit, the United Kingdom and Mexico negotiated a new trade agreement. This agreement, called the UK-Mexico Continuity of Trade Agreement, entered into force on June 1, 2021. The agreement is still in force today.