WT/REG425/M/1  
 
19 April 2024  
(24-3284) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Regional Trade Agreements  
Hundred and Ninth Session   
 
 
TRADE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNITED KINGDOM,  
COLOMBIA, ECUADOR AND PERU   
(GOODS AND SERVICES)  
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF 8 APRIL 2024  
Chair: Ambassador H.E. Ms. Clare KELLY (New Zealand)  
1.1.  The 10 9th Session of the Committee on Regional Trade Agreements (hereinafter "CRTA" or the 
"Committee") was convened in Airgram WTO/AIR/RTA/34/Rev.1  dated 28 March  2024. 
1.2.  Under Agenda Item 8. 5, the CRTA considered the Agreement establishing a Trade  Agreement 
between  the United Kingdom , Colombia, Ecuador and Peru,  goods and services , (hereinafter "the 
Agreement").  The Chair stated that the Factual Presentation had been prepared by the Secretariat 
on its own responsibility in full consultation with th e Parties, in accordance with paragraph 7(b) of 
the Transparency Mechanism for Regional Trade Agreements (document WT/L/671 ). 
1.3.  The Agreement had entered into force between 31 December 2020 and 28 June 2022 
depending on the Party. The Parties had notified the Agreement on 31 December 2020 and 
1 September 2022 under Articles  XXIV:7(a) of the GATT  1994 and Article  V:7(a) of the GATS  
(documents WT/REG425/N/1  and N/2 and S/C/N/1028  and Add.1). They indicated that it  had 
establishe d a free trade area for trade in goods within the meaning of Article XXIV of the GATT 1994, 
and trade in services within the meaning of Article V of the GATS.  The text of the Ag reement, 
together with its Annexes, was available on the Parties' official websites and in the WTO RTA 
database. The Factual Presentation, document  WT/REG425/1 , and questions and replies, document 
WT/REG425/2 , had been distributed.  
1.4.  The representative of the United Kingdom , on behalf of the Parties , deliver ed the joint 
statement on the Agreement which had entered into force on December 31st December 2020, for 
the United Kingdom , Ecuador, and Peru , and on 28th June 2022 for Colombia. He thank ed the 
Secretariat for preparing the excellent factual presentation and the Andean Countries for their 
important contributions in drafting and agreeing the statement.  
1.5.  The Parties emphasize d the longstanding and positive trade relationship which exis ted between 
them. They all valued the role which free and fair trade played in increasing sustainable and inclusive 
prosperity, to the benefit of all their citizens.  The Agreement had played an important role in 
delivering those benefits, ensuring the free  flow of goods and services, and supporting businesses 
to thrive. Officials would continue to build on the successful implementation of the Agreement so far 
and ensure that it continue d to create economic opportunities through increased trade and 
investmen t. 
1.6.  The Agreement had already helped to secure substantial trade and investment, with total trade 
in goods and services (exports plus imports) between the UK and Andean Countries at GBP 4.2 billion 
in the four quarters leading up to the end of Q4 2022. The Agreement establishe d a free trade area 
for trade in goods  within the meaning of Article XXIV of the GATT 1994,  and trade in  services  within 
the meaning of Article V of the GATS.   
1.7.  The Agreement cover ed preferential trade in goods and services,  includin g provisions on rules 
of origin , and in areas such as government procurement,  geographical indications, intellectual WT/REG425/M/1  
 
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  property  as well as preferential tariffs and quotas.  As with the  Agreement between the UK  and 
Viet Nam, the Agreement was based on the EU -Andean  Countries Agreement . Many of the general 
changes to the EU -Andean Countries Agreement, such as replacing "EU" with "UK", had  also been 
applied mutatis mutandis , with the technical changes necessary to apply the Agreement as if it had 
been concluded between the UK and the Andean countries in the first instance.  Where more 
substantive amendments had been  required to ensure operability, or where the UK and the Andean 
countries had jointly agreed that mutatis mutandis would not deliver, adequate certainty over rights 
and obligations had been provided by detailed amendments included in the Annex to the Agreement.  
Alongside the Annex, which contain ed modifications to the incorporated UK  [EU] - Andean 
Agreement, the Agreem ent was made up of nine articles. Additionally, it include d a Joint Declaration 
on geographical indications.  
1.8.  The Agreement also contain ed a commitment to hold an annual Trade Committee meeting 
where Parties could discuss implementation, administration, and cooperation under the different 
chapters, and address priority barriers to trade. The Parties were also required to hold annual 
subcommi ttee meetings o n the following topics: Agriculture, Customs, Trade Facilitation and Rules 
of Origin, Government Procurement, Intellectual Property, Market Access, Technical Barriers to 
Trade, Trade and Sustainable Development, and Sanitary and Phytosanitar y Measures.  Most of the 
institutional provisions and bodies provided for in the Agreement and most of its Decisions had been  
incorporated and retained mutatis mutandis  from the EU -Andean Agreement , although some 
modifications had been made to the ir composi tion and function s to ensure they were suitable for the 
nature of the Agreement.  
1.9.  The implementation of the Agreement had been effective and focused . The Trade Committee 
met on an annual basis and had serve d as a forum to explore further opportunities to increase trade 
between the Parties and address ed priority barriers to trade.  In July 2023 the Trade Committee had 
adopted Decision N° 02/2023 of the Rules of Procedure of the Agreement. Currently,  the Parties  
were in process of agreeing on the list of Chairpersons and panel of arbitrators, according to 
Article  304 of the Agreement.  
1.10.   The Parties continued to work together to ensure that all their institutional mechanisms 
reflect ed their joint desire to support b usiness growth and development. They wanted all their 
citizens to benefit from increased free and fair trade.  By focusing on identifying and reducing barriers 
to trade, simplifying bureaucracy, and seeking long -term improvements in trading conditions they 
hoped to stimulate the free flow of goods and services through the Agreement and contribute to 
ongoing sustainable development.  They looked forward to continuing to deepen their trade 
relationships through effective implementation of the Agreement and work ing together to help 
businesses flourish for the benefit of their economies and people.  
1.11.   The UK looked forward to the upcoming Trade Committee meeting with the Andean Countries 
in July where Parties could explore further opportunities to collaborate and cre ate greater prospects 
for their trade relations.  
1.12.   The representative of the European Union  thanked the UK for the presentation and wished 
the Parties success in the implementation of the Agreement.  
1.13.   The representative of the United States  thanked the Parties for their efforts and for the 
notification.  
1.14.   The Chair  noted the consideration of the  goods and services aspects of the Trade Agreement 
between the United Kingdom, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru , had allowed the Committee to clarify a 
numb er of questions and conclude oral discussion of the RTA in accordance with paragraph 11 of 
the Transparency Mechanism . Any delegations wishing to ask follow -up questions were invited to 
forward submissions in writing to the Secretariat by 15  April 2024 and the Parties were asked to 
submit replies in writing by no later than 29 April 2024. In accordance with paragraph  13 of the 
Transparency Mechanism all written submissions, as well as minutes of the meeting would be circulated 
promptly, in all WTO  official languages, and made available in the WTO database on RTAs.  
1.15.   The Committee took note  of the comments made.  
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