WT/REG 437/N/1  
18 January 2021  
(21-0536) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Regional Trade Agreements  Original:  English  
 
 
NOTIFICATION OF REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENT  
1. Member(s) notifying:  United Kingdom, Switzerland, Liechtenstein  
2. Date of notification:   
31 December  2020  
3. Notification pursuant to  
[X] Article XXIV:7(a) of GATT 1994  
[ ] Article V:7(a) of GATS  
[ ] Paragraph 4(a) of the Enabling Clause  
4. Parties to the Agreement:  United Kingdom, Swit zerland, Liechtenstein  
5. Date of signature:   
11 February  2019 
6. Date(s) of entry into Force:   
1 January  2021 
7. Brief description of the Agreements: The previous trading relationship between the 
United Kingdom ("UK") and Switzerland was governed by the Agreement between the 
European Economic Community and the Swiss Confederation and all associated 
agreements and protocols (see document series WT/REG94). In the context of the UK 's 
exit from the European Union, the UK and Switzerland identi fied the agreements relating 
to trade and transitioned them as closely as possible through a single UK -Switzerland Trade 
Agreement. In addition, the European Economic Area Agreement (see document series 
WT/REG138) governed the previous trading relationship  between the UK and 
Liechtenstein.  
 
The UK -Switzerland Trade Agreement establishes a free trade area for trade in goods, 
within the meaning of Article XXIV of the GATT 1994. The objective of the Agreement is to 
ensure that the existing mutual rights and ob ligations between the UK and Switzerland 
continue to apply as far as possible after the UK has left the European Union. The 
Agreement incorporates by reference relevant provisions of the trade -related 
EU-Switzerland agreements, with modifications made, whe re necessary, to ensure the 
content of the relevant EU -Switzerland agreements works in a bilateral UK -Switzerland 
context. In addition to preferential trade in goods, the Agreement includes provisions on 
areas such as government procurement, mutual recogni tion in relation to conformity 
assessment, and cooperation and administrative assistance to combat fraud related to 
customs and indirect tax offences. The UK -Switzerland Trade Agreement applies as of the 
date on which the EU -Switzerland agreements have cea sed to apply to and in the UK.  
 
Certain provisions of the UK -Switzerland Trade Agreement are extended to Liechtenstein 
via an accompanying Additional Agreement between the United Kingdom , Switzerland and 
Liechtenstein . The rationale for extending th ese pro visions to Liechtenstein is based on its 
inclusion in the Switzerland customs territory . WT/REG 437/N/1  
 
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  8. Text and related schedules, annexes and protocols are:  
[ ] submitted to the WTO Secretariat (electronic format)  
[X] available from the following official Internet link(s):  
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cs -switzerland -no42019 -ukswitzerland -
trade -agreement    
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cs -liechtenstein -no12019 -ukliechtenstein -
additional -agreement -exten ding-certain -provisions -of-ukswiss -trade -agreement -to-
liechtenstein  
https://www.seco.admin.ch/seco/en/home/Aus senwirtschaftspolitik_Wirtschaftliche_Zus
ammenarbeit/Wirtschaftsbeziehungen/brexit.html