- The UK currently has FTAs with over 70 countries in addition to the Trade & Cooperation Agreement (TCA) reached with the EU. In most cases, FTAs seek to maintain continuity of pre-Brexit trade with third countries.
- Several of these FTAs include clauses requiring the agreement to be re-negotiated. Negotiations are underway with Switzerland, Turkey and South Korea. The government has signalled it will continue with these negotiations.
- In January 2024, negotiations with Canada on a new FTA were suspended following an impasse on trade in agricultural goods.
- In May 2025, the UK and India have concluded a free trade agreement (FTA), under which India will cut tariff rates on 90% of tariff lines and the UK will eliminate tariffs on 99% of Indian goods.
- Negotiations on an FTA with the Gulf Cooperation Council commenced in 2022 and will continue in 2025.
- The UK and US announced an outline ‘Economic Prosperity Deal’ on tariffs and trade. The deal centres on product-specific tariff reduction, with full details yet to be published. The first tariff reductions for UK businesses applied to the automotive and aerospace sectors from 30 June 2025.
- The UK launched a new Trade Strategy in June 2025, outlining the government’s approach to strengthening trade defence, securing more agile trade agreements, expanding export finance and aligning trade policy with other strategic priorities.
- Timing: this is an area of continuing change and timescales are being determined for each negotiation. The UK-India FTA is expected to come into force in late 2025 or early 2026, following the completion of domestic ratification and implementation procedures.
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