Nigel Adams in February 2016 (HERE) said if Iceland had signed a trade agreement with China so could we, comparing it unfavourably with the EU because it has no trade deal with China - yet. I wouldn't be so sure that we will be able to do any better. Mr Adams asked a series of written questions last year culminating in this one HERE, presumably on behalf of a meat company about exporting pigs trotters to China - don't laugh this is serious.
The protocol was apparently signed in November 2015 but in July 2016 Nigel is still submitting written questions to DEFRA asking when they sent the final information required by the Chinese. It turns out this took until 27th June 2016 with the seven month delay caused by having to gather information from the whole UK pork industry. Remember this was just for pigs trotters.
The protocol was apparently signed in November 2015 but in July 2016 Nigel is still submitting written questions to DEFRA asking when they sent the final information required by the Chinese. It turns out this took until 27th June 2016 with the seven month delay caused by having to gather information from the whole UK pork industry. Remember this was just for pigs trotters.
The WTO tariff schedules follow the format called the Harmonised Commodity Description and Coding System. This system for classifying goods traded internationally was developed in 1988 for those countries which were then members of the World Customs Organisation. It contains over 5,000 six-digit subheadings, which are further divided to suit different countries. The System consists of 21 sections covering 99 chapters from live animals to works of art, so literally thousands and thousands of items (HERE).
Liam Fox is supposed to transform us into a global trading giant, bestriding the world and striking trade deals with all the non EU countries including China apparently, all signature ready in two years time. If it takes seven months to sort out pigs trotters, let us hope the agreements don't involve anything very much more complicated, otherwise we will still be at it in 2119.
