WT/GC/226  
 
4 January 2021  
(21-0057) Page: 1/4 
General Council  Original: English  
 
 
 END OF THE UK -EU TRANSITION PERIOD  
COMMUNICATION FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM  
The following communication, dated  31 December 2020 , is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of the United Kingdom.  
 
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1  INTRODUCTION  
1.1.  As Members will recall, the United Kingdom was a founding party to the GATT 1947, and is an 
original Member of the WTO, in its own right. As set out in document WT/GC/206, the United 
Kingdom ceased to be a Member State of the European Union at  23.00 GMT on 31 January 2020. As 
of this date the United Kingdom and the European Union entered into a time -limited transition period 
("the transition period "). The transition period will come to an end at 23.00 GMT on 31 December 
2020.  
1.2.  To assist Members  in their ongoing engagement with the United Kingdom, this note sets out 
some of the implications of the end of the transition period for the United Kingdom at the WTO.  
2  SCHEDULES AND AGREEMENTS  
2.1.  For the duration of the United Kingdom's membership of the Eur opean Union and for the 
duration of the transition period, the United Kingdom's concessions and commitments on goods and 
concessions and specific commitments in services were contained within the schedule of concessions 
and commitments on goods and schedul e of concessions and specific commitments in services of 
the European Union.  
GOODS  
 
2.2.  On 24 July 2018 the United Kingdom's draft schedule of concessions and commitments on 
goods, Schedule XIX – United Kingdom, was circulated for certification in document 
G/MA/TAR/RS/570 under the Procedures for Modification and Rectification of Schedules of Tariff 
Concessions.1 Subsequent addenda to that schedule were circulated on 28 May 2020 in document 
G/MA/TAR/RS/570/Add.1 and on 16 December 2020 in document G/MA/TAR/RS/570/Add.2 
(together  Schedule XIX). Members will also recall by virtue of the joint letter from the Permanent 
Representatives of the United Kingdom and European Union dated 11 October 2017, the 
apportionment of the European Union’s existing tariff rate quota commitments. Sche dule XIX set 
out those apportioned tariff rate quota commitments for the UK.  
2.3.  In document G/MA/TAR/RS/570, the United Kingdom undertook to inform Members concerning 
the date of application of Schedule XIX. The United Kingdom hereby notifies that, following the 
conclusion of the transition period, the United Kingdom will proceed, with effect from 23 .00 GMT on 
31 December 2020, to fully respect all the concessions and commitments in Schedule XIX. That 
includes, pursuant to Article XXVIII:3 and 5 GATT 1994, the  modification of its tariff rate quota 
commitments as set out in Schedule XIX.  
 
1 Decision of 26 March 1980, L/4962  WT/GC/226  
 
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  2.4.  The approach the United Kingdom is taking at this time has been made necessary and 
unavoidable by the conclusion of the transition period. The concessions and commitments curren tly 
set out in Schedule XIX will be fully respected, notwithstanding pending certification and subject to 
any appropriate adjustments and technical corrections, including those to tariff rate quotas arising 
from the conclusion of negotiations and consultat ions commenced via Communication G/SECRET/44 
under Article XXVIII of GATT 1994.  
2.5.  Between September 2019 and December 2020, the United Kingdom undertook five rounds of 
negotiations and consultations with relevant Members under Article XXVIII of the GATT 1994 . Some 
of these negotiations and consultations have reached agreement or  are in an advanced stage of 
discussion. The United Kingdom reassures Members that it remains fully committed to successfully 
concluding negotiations and consultations, an intention th e United Kingdom assesses is shared by 
its negotiating partners. Nothing in this communication is intended to have the effect of impeding 
the course of those discussions or interfering with their successful conclusion, and the United 
Kingdom recognises the  practical mechanisms available to WTO Members to extend the timelines 
envisaged under Article XXVIII:3, should that prove necessary.  
2.6.  The United Kingdom  will further update  Members following the conclusion of negotiations under 
Article XXVIII of GATT 1994.   
SERVICES  
2.7.  On 3 December 2018 the United Kingdom’s schedule of concessions and specific commitments 
in services and the United Kingdom' s list of Article II GATS (MFN) exemptions were circulated for 
certification in document s S/C/W/380 and S/C/W/381 under t he relevant procedures.2 The period 
for objections to the certification of that schedule and list of Article II GATS (MFN) exemptions 
expired on 17 January 2019. The United Kingdom continues to consult with one Member under these 
procedures. From the end of the transition period, the United Kingdom will fully respect the schedule 
of concessions and specific commitments set out in document S/C/W/380 (as corrected by document 
S/C/W/380/Corr.1) and the Article II (MFN) Exemptions as set out in document S/C/W/ 381, pending 
completion of the procedures contained in documents S/L/84 and S/L/106 respectively. The United 
Kingdom will update Members following the conclusion of these procedures.  
AGREEMENTS  
2.8.  There are also a small number of agreements, negotiated since the conclusion of the Marrakesh 
Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization, in which the United Kingdom participated as 
a Member State of the European Union, but to which the United Kingdom was not party in its own 
right. Upon the expiry of the tr ansition period the United Kingdom has taken appropriate steps , 
where required,  to accede to those agreements or confirm its continued acceptance and 
implementation of these agreements, as set out below.  
2.9.  Regarding the Government Procurement Agreement (the  'GPA'), the United Kingdom deposited 
its Instrument of Accession on 2 December 2020  (WT/Let/1498) , ensuring that from 1 January 2021 
the GPA will enter into force for the United Kingdom in its own right (WT/Let/1 503). 
2.10.   Regarding the Protocol Amending the T RIPS Agreement (the 'TRIPS Amendment'), the 
Protocol Amending the Marrakesh Agreement (the 'Trade Facilitation Agreement'), and the 2015 
Protocol to the Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft, the United Kingdom has deposited Instruments 
of Continued Accepta nce ensuring that, from 1 January 2021, the United Kingdom continues to 
participate in its own right in these agreements  (WT/Let/150 0, WT/Let/150 1, WT/Let/1502 ). 
2.11.   Regarding the 1996 Ministerial Declaration on Trade in Information Technology Products ('the 
1996 ITA ’), the 2015 Ministerial Declaration on the Expansion of Trade in Information Technology 
Products (the 2015 'ITA Expansion'), and the Agreement on Trade in Pharmaceutical Products (the 
 
2 The United Kingdom’s draft Schedule of Specific Commitments in Services was circulated for certification 
pursuant to the Procedures for the Certification of Rectifications or Improvements to Schedules of Specific 
Commitments adopted by the Council for Trade in Services on 14 April 2000, Document S/L/84. The United 
Kingdom’s list o f Article II GATS (MFN) exemptions was circulated for certification pursuant to the Procedures for 
the Certification of Terminations, Reductions and Rectifications of Article II (MFN) exemptions adopted by the 
Council for Trade in Services on 5 June 2002, Document S/L/106.  WT/GC/226  
 
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  'Pharmaceutical Agreement ') the United Kingdom has writte n to the Director -General of the WTO to 
confirm its continued participation in these agreements in its own right (G/IT/W/52  and 
G/MA/W/166 ). As such, the tariff liberalisation commitments set out in these agreements are 
reflected in Schedule XIX.  
2.12.   As set ou t in the communication from the United Kingdom to the Director -General of the WTO 
dated 15 October 2019 (WT/Let/1450), the United Kingdom has extended the application of its 
ratification of the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization to the Bailiwicks 
of Guernsey and Jersey, for whose international relations the United Kingdom is responsible. The 
United Kingdom has subsequently written to the Director -General of the WTO to confirm that this 
extension takes effect upon the expiry of the  transition period, at 23.00 GMT on 31 December 2020 
(WT/Let/1499).  
3  MFN AND PREFERENTIAL APPLIED TRADING ARRANGEMENTS  
3.1.  On 19 May 2020 the United Kingdom announced the 'UK Global Tariff', the MFN tariff regime 
that the United Kingdom would apply following th e end of the transition period. The up to date details 
of that tariff regime were set out in domestic legislation on 16 December 2020. That tariff regime 
will be in effect following the end of the transition period, and will be notified to WTO Members unde r 
the appropriate procedures shortly.  The full details of the tariff regime can be found at 
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/uk -tariffs -from-1-january -2021. 
3.2.  The United Kingdom has also i ntroduced its own Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP). 
The United Kingdom GSP will provide the same level of access as the current European Union trade 
preference scheme, and will be notified to WTO Members under the appropriate procedures shortly. 
The full details of the GSP regime can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/trading -with-
developing -nations -from-1-january -2021. 
3.3.  The United Kingdom has also agreed a number of preferential trade agreements with other 
Members, which are being  notified to the Committee on Regional Trade Agreements in line with 
normal practice under the Transparency Mechanism.  
3.4.  One of those preferential  trade agreements is that agreed between the United Kingdom and 
the European Union on 24 December 2020 . 
3.5.  This agreement sits alongside specific provisions of the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement3 relating 
to goods placed on the market prior to 1 January 2021, an d other special arrangements including 
by virtue of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, and the Protocol on the Sovereign Base Areas.  
Further details on the operation of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland can be found at 
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the -northern -ireland -protocol . 
4  DISPUTES  
4.1.  Until the expiry of the transition period, the United Kingdom was treated as a Member State of 
the Euro pean Union for the purpose of ongoing WTO disputes to which the European Union was a 
party. Following the end of the transition period, the United Kingdom will be able to launch and 
defend WTO disputes in its own right.  
5  REMEDIES  
5.1.  The United Kingdom has  put in place a domestic trade remedies system coming into full effect 
from the end of the transition period. The United Kingdom has notified its remedies legislation and 
competent authority to the Committees on Anti -Dumping Practices , Subsidies and Countervailing 
Measures, and Safeguards.  
5.2.  To facilitate continuity in the circumstances of its departure from the European Union, the 
United Kingdom has retained those definitive trade remedy measures which applied before the end 
 
3 Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the 
European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community    
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new -withdrawal -agreement -and-political -declaration  WT/GC/226  
 
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  of the tra nsition period and which met certain criteria. Each retained measure will undergo a review, 
which could in some cases lead to it being varied or revoked. The United Kingdom will continue to 
notify in line with its WTO obligations.  
6  ENGAGEMENT WITH WTO REGU LAR BUSINESS  
6.1.  The United Kingdom will continue to engage fully and constructively with other Members in the 
regular work of the WTO.   
6.2.  Some European Union legislation which previously applied in the United Kingdom on issues of 
relevance to trade with other W TO Members has been retained in United Kingdom domestic law and 
therefore relevant United Kingdom legislation mirrors that which was in place while the United 
Kingdom was a European Union Member State.4 There have also been modifications in a number of 
policy areas, and the United Kingdom will provide relevant information to WTO Members, in line with 
its notification obligations, at the earliest point possible. The United Kingdom will ask the S ecretariat 
to circulate a number of such notifications in the c oming weeks. The United Kingdom looks forward 
to engaging with interested Members on those notifications and related issues, including in the WTO’s 
regular committees. More information on trading with the United Kingdom following the end of the 
transition period can also be found at https://www.gov.uk/transition . 
__________  
 
4 Some European Union law was retained in UK law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 
2018 and the European Union (Withd rawal Agreement) Act 2020, with minor modifications to ensure operability.