Sweden and the UK, along with most other European countries, are building a large part of their economy on trade. In fact, the relative prosperity of Europe is fundamentally based on the open exchange with each other and the rest of the world.
Although after Brexit, the UK is no longer part of EU’s common trade policy, its fundamental interests in the trade area remain very similar. This includes safeguarding and developing open global trade in the context of rising geopolitical tensions and protectionist measures, as well as to develop trade strategies and multilateral trade rules to be fit for purpose for key drivers such as the ongoing sustainability and digital transitions.
In order to have an impact globally, it is essential that the EU and the UK coordinate their trade policy decisions in these regards. Therefore, the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise and the Institute of Directors have commissioned this report to identify concrete proposals where there is joint interest for trade policy coordination or cooperation.
The UK has over the past decades been not only one of the major trading partners of Sweden, with crucial flows of goods and services, but also Sweden’s closest ally in the EU. Our countries – and businesses – are profoundly anchored in the conviction that openness, trade and competitiveness is the way forward. With Brexit, it is important that we examine in which areas we can continue to work together.
Anna Stellinger
Deputy Director General, Head of International and EU Affairs
The proposals in the report include:
Extending the accession and coverage of WTO agreements
Using the UK-EU trade agreement in areas such as e-commerce, data-flows and subsidies as a baseline to progress on international rules or other trade agreements
Closer cooperation between regulators and on domestic legislative developments that affect trade
Working more closely in fora such as the G7 and G20 on action against forced technology transfers, web blocking and preventing data localisation requirements
Re-launching negotiations for an environmental goods agreement at the WTO
Exploring accession to the Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS)