REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL on the implementation and application of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 1 January – 31 December 2022
Date: 2023-03-15
Institutions: European Commission, Secretariat-General
Subjects: United Kingdom, application of EU law, cooperation agreement (EU), cooperation policy, trade agreement, trade agreement (EU)

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 15.3.2023  COM(2023) 118 final  REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL on the implementation and application of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and  the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland         1 January – 31 December 2022  
 
 
Table of Contents 

1. 

2. 

3. 

Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 2 

Institutional framework, enforcement tools and dispute settlement ............................................. 2 

Sectorial implementation ................................................................................................................ 3 

3.1. 

Trade in goods ......................................................................................................................... 4 

Services and investment, digital trade, intellectual property, public procurement and small 

3.2. 
and medium-sized enterprises ............................................................................................................ 5 

3.3. 

Energy ..................................................................................................................................... 6 

3.4. 

Transport ................................................................................................................................. 7 

3.5. 

Fisheries .................................................................................................................................. 8 

3.6. 

Social security coordination .................................................................................................... 9 

3.7. 

Law enforcement and judicial cooperation in criminal matters .............................................. 9 

3.8. 

Participation in Union programmes ........................................................................................ 9 

4.  Overview of complaints ................................................................................................................. 10 

5.  Evolution in the law of the United Kingdom .................................................................................. 10 

5.1. 

Cross-cutting matters ............................................................................................................ 11 

5.2. 

Level playing field for open and fair competition and sustainable development .................. 12 

6.  Effects on trade flows and movement of persons ......................................................................... 13 

6.1. 

Trade flows ............................................................................................................................ 13 

6.2.  Movement of persons ........................................................................................................... 17 

7.  Conclusions .................................................................................................................................... 18 

Annex 1: Meetings of the joint bodies established under the TCA in 2022 ........................................... 19 

1 

 
 
 
 
1. 

Introduction 

As  of  1  January  2021,  trade  and  cooperation  between  the  European  Union  (EU)  and  the 
United  Kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and  Northern  Ireland  (United  Kingdom)  are  governed  by 
the  Trade  and  Cooperation  Agreement  (TCA)  signed  on  30 December  2020.1  The  TCA 
covers  a  wide  range  of  areas  including  trade,  transport,  fisheries,  energy,  social  security 
coordination,  law  enforcement  and  judicial  cooperation  in  criminal  matters,  providing  a 
comprehensive  basis  for  the  relationship  between  the  parties  and  ensuring  a  level  playing 
field  for  fair  competition  and  sustainable  development,  as  well  as  respect  for  fundamental 
rights. 

This  is  the  Commission’s  second  report  on  the  TCA's  implementation  and  application,  as 
required by Article 2(4) of Council Decision (EU) 2021/689 of 29 April 2021.2 It provides an 
overview of the main developments in the functioning of the institutional framework (section 
2), as well as in a range of areas that fall within its purview (section 3), including an overview 
of  complaints  received  in  2022  (section  4).  The  report  also  addresses  regulatory 
developments  in  the  United  Kingdom  taking  place  in  2022  (section  5).  Finally,  two  years 
after the end of the transition period, the report looks at the effects for the EU of the United 
Kingdom  leaving  the  internal  market,  the  Customs  Union  and  the  various  Union  policies 
(section 6). 

2. 

Institutional framework, enforcement tools and dispute settlement 

The TCA's institutional framework was completed in 2022 and became fully operational.3 

The  parties  met  in  the  joint  bodies  established  by  the  TCA  to  supervise  and  facilitate  its 
implementation. The list of meetings is presented in Annex 1. The Commission published the 
agendas  and  the  minutes  of  the  meetings.4  The  EU  was  represented  in  the  meetings  of  the 
joint bodies by the European Commission, whereas positions to be taken on behalf of the EU 
were coordinated with the Council.  

In  2022,  the  EU  and  the  United  Kingdom  established  their  parliamentary  cooperation, 
according to Article 11 of the TCA. The inaugural meeting of the Parliamentary Partnership 
Assembly  consisting  of  35  members  of  the  European  Parliament  and  35  members  of  the 

1  Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy 
Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part 
(OJ L 149/10) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:22021A0430(01)&from=EN 
2  Council Decision (EU) 2021/689 of 29 April 2021 on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Trade and 
Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one 
part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part, and of the Agreement 
between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning security 
procedures for exchanging and protecting classified information (OJ L149/2) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32021D0689&from=EN  
3  The panel of experts foreseen in Article 409 of the TCA is expected to be established in 2023. 
4   https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/relations-non-eu-countries/relations-united-kingdom/eu-uk-trade-and-
cooperation-agreement/meetings-eu-uk-partnership-council-and-specialised-committees-under-trade-and-
cooperation-agreement_en 

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United Kingdom’s parliament took place in Brussels on 12 and 13 May. The second meeting 
took place in London on 7 and 8 November.5  

The process of involving civil society in the implementation of the TCA continued. The EU 
Domestic Advisory Group, established according to Article 13 of the TCA, composed of 24 
representatives  of  civil  society  organisations  and  six  representatives  of  the  European 
Economic and Social Committee,6 met several times to discuss the TCA implementation.7  

Furthermore,  the  first  meeting  of  the  Civil  Society  Forum,8  bringing  together  civil  society 
representatives from  the  EU and the United Kingdom,  according to  Article 14 of the TCA, 
was  held  on  4  October  2022.9  The  EU  representatives  included  employers’  and  workers’ 
organisations, as well as academics and non-governmental bodies.  

With regard to dispute settlement, a list of individuals with expertise in the sectors covered by 
the TCA who are willing and able to serve as members of an arbitration tribunal was adopted 
by the Partnership Council, pursuant to Article 752 of the TCA.10  

To  enable  the  EU  to  exercise  its  rights  in  the  implementation  and  enforcement  of  the 
Withdrawal  Agreement  and  the  TCA  in  an  effective  and  timely  manner,  the  European 
Parliament  and  the  Council  reached  a  political  agreement  on  a  regulation  covering  the 
Withdrawal Agreement and the TCA as regards matters falling within the scope of the Treaty 
on the Functioning of the European Union.  It is expected that the Council adopts a regulation 
covering the TCA, as regards matters falling within the scope of the Euratom Treaty in 2023.  

These  regulations  will  provide  a  legal  basis  for  the  Commission  to  adopt  the  defensive 
measures  provided  for  in  both  agreements.  In  particular,  the  Commission  will  be  able  to 
suspend obligations under the TCA if the United Kingdom does not comply with a ruling of 
the arbitration tribunal established under the TCA or the Withdrawal Agreement.11 In certain 
cases,  the  Commission  will  be  able  to  act  unilaterally  to  protect  the  EU’s  interests  without 
first engaging in an arbitration procedure, for instance, in cases where a subsidy in the United 
Kingdom  risks  causing  a  significant  negative  effect  on  trade  or  investment  between  the 
parties.12  

3.  Sectorial implementation 

In the sectorial implementation of the TCA, no major difficulties arose in 2022. Stakeholders 
largely  adapted  to  the  new  trading  reality  resulting  from  the  United  Kingdom’s  withdrawal 

5  The agendas of the Parliamentary Partnership Assembly’s meetings: 
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/delegations/en/d-uk/activities/inter-parliamentary  
6  The full composition of the EU Domestic Advisory Group under the TCA is published here: 
https://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/sections-other-bodies/other/eu-domestic-advisory-group-under-eu-uk-
tca/organisation 
7  Minutes of the meetings are published here: https://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/sections-other-bodies/other/eu-
domestic-advisory-group-under-eu-uk-tca/events 
8  https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32022D0567 
9  The agenda of the meeting is published here: https://policy.trade.ec.europa.eu/events/first-eu-uk-trade-and-
cooperation-agreement-civil-society-forum-2022-10-04_en 
10  https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A22022D2550 
11  Article 749(4) TCA 
12  Article 374(3) TCA 

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from  the  internal  market,  the  Customs  Union  and  the  various  Union  policies.  Certain 
challenges  nevertheless  remain:  the  implementation  of  the  electricity  trading  arrangements 
provided for in the TCA proved more complex than anticipated (see section 3.3 below) and 
the  full  and  correct  implementation  of  the  provisions  on  fisheries  continued  to  present 
challenges (see section 3.5 below).  

3.1. 

Trade in goods 

The  implementation  of  the  TCA  in  the  area  of  trade  in  goods  focussed  on  the  effective 
application of the rules agreed by the parties and the resolving of outstanding issues. Overall, 
the trade arrangements established in the TCA worked well, although certain implementation 
difficulties persisted.  

As  regards  fiscal  aspects,  national  customs  authorities  raised  concerns  with  regard  to  the 
correctness  of  operators'  self-declarations  of  origin  and  replies  provided  by  the  United 
Kingdom’s  customs  authorities  concerning  the  verifications  of  origin.13  In  order  to  support 
the work of customs authorities, the Trade Specialised Committee on Customs Cooperation 
and Rules of Origin adopted a decision14 outlining the procedure to be used in case of denial 
of preferential  tariff treatment.  The agreed procedure will help  the Member States' customs 
authorities to refuse the preferences when justified and instead apply Most Favoured Nation 
tariffs, while  guaranteeing  at  the same time that  preferences  are not  refused without proper 
consultation. 

While the control of the correct rules of origin is, as in all trade agreements, challenging, the 
balance of the horizontal and product specific rules in the TCA is satisfactory. In particular, 
the  Commission  does  not  intend  to  revisit  product  specific  rules  beyond  technical 
adaptations.15  The  Commission  considers  that  these  rules  strike  a  fair  balance  while 
contributing  to  the  Union’s  overarching  objective  of  achieving  strategic  autonomy  in 
essential sectors. 

In the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) area, despite the commitment to promote the use of 
electronic certification to  facilitate trade,16 there was only limited progress in  accepting EU 
paperless  certificates by the United Kingdom, although interim solutions offered by the EU 
allowed  to  improve  the  situation.  In  addition,  despite  the  obligation  to  align  its  official 
certification  requirements  with  international  standards,17  the  United  Kingdom  continued  to 
require guarantees in relation to certain animal diseases, which is not in line with the current 
standards  of  the  World  Organisation  for  Animal  Health.18  Technical  discussions  with  the 
United  Kingdom  about  its  certification  requirements,  including  their  compatibility  with  the 
EU’s single entity, did not produce concrete results in 2022. 

13  In EU-UK trade in goods, customs duties are due on non-originating goods, as well as those originating in the 
United Kingdom, for which no preferential tariff was claimed (“non-utilisation”). Based on 2021 data, it can be 
estimated that customs duties for products imported from the United Kingdom into the EU total approximately 
EUR 1.2 billion annually. 
14  http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2022/2064/oj 
15  Cf. Annexes 3 and 5 of the TCA 
16  Article 74(2) TCA 
17  Article 74(1)(a) TCA 
18  https://www.woah.org/en/what-we-do/standards/codes-and-manuals/   

4 

 
                                                           
Furthermore, the United Kingdom questioned EU rules governing imports of certain products 
from third countries, such as seed potatoes and unpurified live bivalve molluscs and sought 
special  treatment  for  its  exports  to  the  EU.  However,  as  a  consequence  of  a  separate  SPS 
regulatory regime following its withdrawal from the EU, the United Kingdom is subject to all 
EU rules applicable to third countries not dynamically aligning with EU legislation.  

The  Commission  took  action  in  the  framework  of  the  WTO  dispute  settlement  mechanism 
with  regard  to  the  ‘Contracts  for  Difference’19  scheme,  which  is  the  main  mechanism  for 
supporting  low-carbon  electricity  generation  in  the  United  Kingdom.  The  Commission 
contested  the  scheme's  local  content  criteria  favouring  United  Kingdom  content  over 
imported content as breach of WTO non-discrimination rules. In July 2022, the EU and the 
United  Kingdom  agreed  on  a  way  forward  to  address  the  Commission’s  concerns  and 
clarified that the scheme’s beneficiaries do not need to achieve any particular level of United 
Kingdom content to receive payments.20Additional guidance was published to ensure that this 
position is fully understood by industry.21 

As  regards  developments  in  the  United  Kingdom,  the  implementation  of  certain  import 
procedures and checks, in particular those pertaining to SPS requirements for products from 
the  EU,  was  repeatedly  postponed.  On  28  April  2022,  the  United  Kingdom  announced  the 
fourth postponement of the implementation of the checks, which had been scheduled to begin 
on 1 July 2022.22 The date upon which the United Kingdom's new regime of border import 
controls applicable to goods from the EU would go into effect remains uncertain.   

In the area of conformity assessment, in response to significant concerns from industry over 
the implementation of the UK Conformity Assessment (UKCA)  marking for products placed 
on  the  market  of  Great  Britain,  a  third  extension  of  the  deadline  for  its  introduction  was 
announced in November 2022.23 This means that the United Kingdom will continue to accept 
products meeting EU requirements until 31 December 2024, with respective EU certificates 
and  CE  marking  remaining  valid  until  the  end  of  2027,  including  currently  applicable 
labelling  provisions,  importer  information  and  responsible  persons’  information.  Separate 
announcements concerning medical devices, aircrafts, rail products and maritime equipment 
are expected. 

3.2. 

Services and investment, digital trade, intellectual property, public 
procurement and small and medium-sized enterprises 

There were no significant implementation problems in the areas of services and investment, 
digital  trade,  intellectual  property,  public  procurement  and  small  and  medium-sized 
enterprises. However, some issues persisted. 

19  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/contracts-for-difference/contract-for-difference   
20  https://policy.trade.ec.europa.eu/news/eu-and-uk-agree-way-forward-wto-dispute-concerning-uks-green-
energy-subsidy-scheme-2022-07-01_en 
21  Contracts for Difference (CfD) Allocation Round 4: Supply Chain Plan questionnaire and guidance - 
GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) 
22  https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-approach-to-import-controls-to-help-ease-cost-of-living  
23  https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2022-11-14/hcws366  

5 

 
                                                           
The immigration skills charge imposed by the United Kingdom in respect of intra-corporate 
transferees continued to be a concern. In line with the TCA,24 the Commission insisted on the 
removal  of  this  charge  by  the  end  of  2022  at  the  latest.  The  United  Kingdom  agreed  by 
making amendments to the Immigration Skills Charge Regulations (2017) that took effect on 
1 January 2023.25 As a result, the skills charge no longer applies to intra-corporate transferees 
from the EU.  

The  new  Global  Business  Mobility  rules26  adopted  by  the  United  Kingdom  in  April  2022 
raised  concerns  in  light  of  the  TCA  provisions  on  the  entry  and  temporary  stay  of  natural 
persons  for  business  purposes.  According  to  the  new  rules,  businesses  and  organisations  in 
the United Kingdom must apply for a sponsor licence from the Home Office if they want to 
hire  an  EU  contractual  service  supplier,  independent  professional  or  intra-corporate 
transferee.  Without a sponsor licence, businesses and organisations in the United Kingdom 
are unable to issue individual sponsorship certificates, which are required to hire EU service 
providers.  In  the  Commission’s  view,  the  sponsorship  scheme  may  deter  businesses  in  the 
United Kingdom from choosing to work with EU companies or independent professionals to 
deliver services covered by the TCA.  The Commission engaged with the United Kingdom on 
this matter. 

In the area of professional qualifications, the first joint recommendation, pursuant to Article 
158  of  the  TCA,  on  the  recognition  of  architects’  qualifications  was  submitted  to  the 
Partnership Council on 3 October 2022 by professional bodies from the EU and the United 
Kingdom.  The  Partnership  Council  is  due  to  review  the  consistency  of  the  joint 
recommendation with the rules on services and investment of the TCA.  

3.3. 

Energy 

The implementation of the TCA in the area of energy focused on strengthening cooperation 
on  security  of  supply,  establishing  a  framework  for  offshore  renewable  energy  cooperation 
and  developing  new  electricity  trading  arrangements.  Despite  its  highly  technical  nature, 
good progress was made in some areas, while it was slower in others.  

Trade in electricity and gas between the United Kingdom and the EU increased in 202227 as a 
result of the  energy  crisis caused by  the Russian invasion of Ukraine  and  of challenges  for 
electricity generation in the EU.  

24  Paragraph 7 of annex 21 (Business Visitors for Establishment Purposes, Intra-Corporate Transferees and 
Short-Term Business Visitors) requires the United Kingdom to remove any charge, fee or tax imposed (other 
than fees associated with the processing of a visa, work permit or residence permit application or renewal) on 
the grounds of being allowed to perform and activity or to hire a person who can perform such activity in the 
territory of the United Kingdom, unless it is a requirement consistent with Article 140(3) of the TCA, or a health 
fee under national legislation in connection with an application for a permit to enter, stay, work, or reside in the 
territory of the United Kingdom. 
25  https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2022/9780348239614/pdfs/ukdsi_9780348239614_en.pdf 
26  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sponsor-a-global-business-mobility-worker 
27  For example, UK exports of gas increased by 336% and of electricity by 138% in 2022 when compared with 
the total exports in 2021: Data extracted from the ENTSO-E Transparency Platform 
(https://transparency.entsoe.eu) and ENTSO-G Transparency Platform (https://transparency.entsog.eu/), 
aggregated by the Joint Research Centre. 

6 

 
                                                           
In line with the provisions in the TCA on “security of supply” of gas and electricity,28 the EU 
exchanged with the United Kingdom the necessary information pertaining to the security of 
supply  of  electricity  and  gas  in  a  meeting  of  the  Specialised  Committee  Energy  on  28 
September 2022.  However, while this information exchange is useful, it is recalled that the 
United Kingdom pursues its own energy policy, including on security of supply. 29  

Building  on  Article  321  of  the  TCA,  a  Memorandum  of  Understanding  on  offshore  energy 
cooperation  was  signed  in  December  2022  between  eight  Member  States,  Norway  and  the 
United  Kingdom,  promoting  the  development  of  energy  renewables  in  the  North  Seas  and 
helping the parties to reach their respective climate change objectives.30 This Memorandum 
of  Understanding  creates  a  forum  for  technical  discussions  with  the  United  Kingdom  in 
relation to offshore grid development and the large renewable energy potential of the North 
Sea region.   

As  far  as  the  trading  arrangements  for  electricity  flows  between  the  EU  and  the  United 
Kingdom  foreseen in  Article 312 of the TCA are concerned, the Specialised Committee on 
Energy came to the conclusion that more work was needed to adequately analyse the options 
for developing such arrangements. To this end, it agreed to adopt a recommendation for both 
parties’  electricity  transmission  system  operators  to  provide  additional  information  with  a 
view to put in place a framework for future electricity trading.  

Furthermore,  pursuant  to  Article  311  of  the  TCA,  the  Commission  endorsed  a  multi-party 
agreement between the transmission system operators from the EU and the United Kingdom 
concerning compensation for the costs of hosting cross border flows of electricity.31 

3.4. 

Transport 

The implementation of the TCA in the area of transport, including aviation, focussed on the 
effective exercise of the rights mutually granted by the parties and was unproblematic.  

In  the  area  of  road  transport,  the  Specialised  Committee  on  Road  Transport  adopted  a 
decision concerning technical and procedural specifications of the use of the Internal Market 
Information  System  by  the  United  Kingdom.32  This  system  allows  for  the  electronic 
processing  of  posting  declarations  of  both  parties’  hauliers.  The  United  Kingdom  will 
contribute to the budget for maintaining the IT tool. 

In the area of air transport, six Member States (Belgium, Hungary,  Ireland, Cyprus, Greece 
and  France)  concluded  bilateral  agreements  with  the  United  Kingdom,  in  accordance  with 
Article  419  of  the  TCA.  Moreover,  agreements  between  Italy  and  the  United  Kingdom,  as 
well  as  Austria  and  the  United  Kingdom,  were  authorised  by  the  Commission  and  are 
expected to be concluded in 2023. 

28  Article 315 of the TCA 
29  In addition, while not based on the TCA, the Commission invited the United Kingdom to participate in a 
meeting of the Gas and Electricity Coordination Groups to exchange information on winter preparedness. 
30  https://energy.ec.europa.eu/nsec-uk-memorandum-understanding_en 
31  https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/documents-register/detail?ref=C(2022)6624&lang=en 
32  https://commission.europa.eu/content/decisions-and-recommendations-specialised-committees-and-trade-
specialised-committees_en 

7 

 
                                                           
In  the  area  of  aviation  safety,  out  of  fourteen  applications  submitted  for  validation  of 
certificates issued by the United Kingdom’s Civil Aviation Authority, eleven were approved 
by  the  European  Union  Aviation  Safety  Agency  on  the  basis  of  Article  446  in  conjunction 
with  Annex  30  of  the  TCA.    The  United  Kingdom  authorities  validated  six  out  of  twelve 
projects  submitted  by  EU  applicants  concerning  changes  to  the  existing  designs.  These 
figures are within the expected range of activity in terms of validation. 

Finally,  while  not  directly  related  to  the  TCA,  the  Commission  adopted  an  implementing 
decision33 on the recognition of the United Kingdom as regards the system for training and 
certification  of  seafarers  pursuant  to  Directive  (EU)  2022/993,  after  determining  that  all 
training and certification requirements specified in the International Convention on Standards 
of  Training,  Certification  and  Watchkeeping  for  Seafarers34  had  been  satisfied.  It  also 
authorised the agreement between France and the United Kingdom on safety certification in 
respect of rail transport services through the Eurotunnel (“Channel Fixed Link”).35  

3.5. 

Fisheries 

Efforts continued to ensure the full implementation of the TCA in the fisheries sector. While 
good progress was made in some areas, certain important issues remained unresolved. 

In spite of significant challenges, the Commission made substantial progress in acquiring the 
requested  licences  for  a  number  of  eligible  vessels  to  fish  in  the  waters  of  the  United 
Kingdom  and  the  Crown  Dependencies,  in  line  with  Protocol  38  and  Article  502(1)  of  the 
TCA.  In  2022,  almost  1600  EU  vessels  continued  to  have  access  to  the  United  Kingdom’s 
exclusive economic zone and 151 EU vessels had access to the territorial waters. In addition, 
138  French  boats  had  licences  to  fish  around  Jersey  and  44  around  Guernsey.  Despite  this 
progress, important challenges remained.  In particular, in the second half of 2022, the EU, 
the  United  Kingdom,  Jersey  and  Guernsey  held  intense  discussions  regarding  the  level  of 
access for the licenced fishing vessels.  

The  Commission  monitored  the  management  measures  notified  by  the  United  Kingdom 
under Article 496(3) of the TCA in light of the commitments of the United Kingdom under 
the  TCA.  While  acknowledging  the  regulatory  autonomy  of  each  party,  the  Commission 
regrets  that  insufficient  communication  on  a  number  of  measures  made  it  difficult  for  the 
Commission  to  effectively  interact  with  the  United  Kingdom’s  authorities,  undermining  its 
ability to provide comments and ask for clarifications in line with the TCA. 

In  December,  the  EU  and  the  United  Kingdom  concluded  their  annual  consultations  to 
determine  the  Total  Allowable  Catches  for  shared  stocks  in  2023.  The  parties  reached  a 
comprehensive  agreement  covering  all  stocks,  thus  securing  fishing  opportunities  of  over 
350 000  tonnes  for  the  EU  fleet,  estimated  to  be worth  around EUR  1  billion based  on 
historic landing prices, adjusted for inflation.  

33  https://transport.ec.europa.eu/news/eu-recognition-uk-system-training-and-certifying-seafarers-2022-10-
27_en 
34  https://www.imo.org/en/OurWork/HumanElement/Pages/STCW-Conv-LINK.aspx 
35 Commission Implementing Decision of 14.6.2022 authorising France to conclude a new agreement pursuant 
to Article 14(5) of Directive 2012/34/EU for the purposes of Article 10(9) of Directive (EU) 2016/798 
C(2022)3813 final 

8 

 
                                                           
3.6. 

Social security coordination 

The  implementation  of  the  TCA  in  the  area  of  social  security  coordination  was 
unproblematic. No structural problems were identified. 

Preparatory  steps  were  undertaken  to  implement  the  financial  provisions  concerning  the 
reimbursement  of  the  cost  of  sickness  benefits  in  kind  provided  by  a  State  other  than  the 
competent  one.  The  parties  also  examined  the  use  of  the  Electronic  Exchange  of  Social 
Security Information in the context of the Protocol, as well as the applicability of the relevant 
decisions  and  recommendations  of  the  Administrative  Commission  for  the  Coordination  of 
Social Security Systems.  

3.7. 

Law enforcement and judicial cooperation in criminal matters 

Overall, the TCA functioned well in the area of law enforcement and judicial cooperation and 
progress was made in resolving remaining implementation issues.  

Following the evaluation of the United Kingdom, the EU declared that, as of 30 June 2022, 
the Member States could supply personal data regarding DNA profiles and dactyloscopic data 
(i.e. fingerprints) to the United Kingdom in line with Articles 530 and 534 of the TCA.36 By 
the end of 2022, 15 Member States and the United Kingdom gave each other access to their 
national  DNA  databases  for  automated  searching,  and  five  Member  States  and  the  United 
Kingdom did so in respect of fingerprints. 

Furthermore,  the  TCA  provides  a  legal  basis  for  the  transfer  of  Passenger  Name  Record 
(PNR) data by air carriers to the United Kingdom for flights between the EU and the United 
Kingdom. It regulates the processing and use of PNR data by the United Kingdom competent 
authorities and requires the United Kingdom to delete PNR data after passengers’ departure 
from  the  country,  unless  a  risk  assessment  indicates  a  need  to  retain  such  data.  In  view  of 
special  circumstances  that  had  prevented  the  United  Kingdom  from  making  the  necessary 
technical adjustments, the United Kingdom was allowed to derogate from this obligation for 
an interim period of one year after the entry into force of the TCA, which was extended by 
one  year  in  December  2021.37  On  21  December  2022,  the  Partnership  Council,  having 
considered  information  provided  by  the  United  Kingdom  on  the  applicable  safeguards  and 
actions taken in view of enabling the deletion of data, decided to extend the interim period for 
another and final year, based on Article 552(13) of the TCA.38 

3.8.  Participation in Union programmes 

The  TCA  makes  it  possible  for  the  United  Kingdom  to  participate  in  certain  Union 
programmes, including Horizon Europe, as an associated country, subject to the adoption of 

36 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32022D1014&from=EN 
37 Decision No 2/2021 of the Partnership Council established by the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between 
the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of 
Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part, of 21 December 2021 as regards the extension of the 
interim period during which the United Kingdom may derogate from the obligation to delete Passenger Name 
Record data of passengers after their departure from the United Kingdom, OJ L 467, 29.12.2021, p. 6, 
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:22021D2323   
38 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec/2022/2549/oj  

9 

 
                                                           
bilateral  protocols  and  financial  contributions.  However,  the  TCA  does  not  provide  for  a 
binding timeframe or a precise deadline to complete the association of the United Kingdom. 

Although the EU recognises the benefits of cooperation in science, research and innovation 
with third countries, the protocols necessary for the association of the United Kingdom could 
not be adopted in 2022, taking into account the significant difficulties in the implementation 
of the Withdrawal Agreement. In line with the rules of procedure under the TCA, the United 
Kingdom  requested  consultations,  which  were  held  in  the  framework  of  the  meeting  the 
Specialised  Committee  on  Participation  in  Union  Programmes  that  took  place  on  22 
September 2022. The consultation process under the TCA was concluded at that stage. 

In  the  absence  of  association,  entities  from  the  United  Kingdom  could  participate  in  some 
programmes  without  being  eligible  for  Union  funding.  Furthermore,  those  entities  could 
benefit  from  the  “transitional  arrangements”  put  in  place  by  the  Commission  for  potential 
participants  from  third  countries,  such  as  the  United  Kingdom,  that  are  candidates  for 
association  to  certain  programmes,  including  Horizon  Europe.  As  a  consequence,  calls  for 
proposals underwent evaluation under the same conditions as associated countries. However, 
the signing of grant agreements and the funding of entities from the United Kingdom remains 
conditional  on  the  United  Kingdom's  association  to  Horizon  Europe.  Applications  from 
entities based in the United Kingdom represented 6.53% of the eligible applications received 
by 5 December 2022.  

The Commission looks forward to a resolution of the difficulties that would enable the United 
Kingdom to become associated to certain Union programmes. 

4.  Overview of complaints39 

At the time of conclusion of the TCA, the Commission committed to setting up  centralised 
tools  for  the  lodging  of  complaints,  taking  into  account  the  scope  of  areas  covered  in  the 
TCA.  In  order  to  fulfil  this  commitment,  a  central  complaint  form  was  developed  in  2021, 
which is operational in all EU official languages.40  

In 2022, no complaint was received through the abovementioned tool. While the Commission 
registered  five  entries,  they  were  not  related  to  the  implementation  of  the  TCA.  The 
Commission services reverted to the senders of the submissions and provided the necessary 
information.  

5. 

Evolution in the law of the United Kingdom 

The  freedom  to  diverge  from  EU  rules  and  policies  was  among  the  reasons  for  the  United 
Kingdom’s  withdrawal  from  the  EU.  Following  its  departure,  the  United  Kingdom 

39  In line with the political agreement between the European Parliament and the Council on the exercise of EU’s 
rights in enforcing the TCA, the Commission is required to include in its annual report an overview of the 
complaints received regarding the TCA as well as their follow-up.  
40  https://ec.europa.eu/assets/sg/complaint_eu_uk_tca/complaints_en/  

10 

 
                                                           
announced  an  extensive  regulatory  reform.  In  January  2022,  the  Cabinet  Office  released  a 
report identifying the guiding principles for future regulatory policy.41 

Throughout 2022, the Commission services monitored regulatory developments in the United 
Kingdom  in  order to  determine whether they pose a risk of non-compliance with  the TCA, 
notably in the areas relevant for the level playing field.  

While  a  number  of  announcements  were  made  by  the  United  Kingdom  in  2022,  few  laws 
were  adopted.  Indeed,  replacing  EU  legislation  and  standards  with  domestic  ones  is  a 
challenging task in  practice, as acknowledged by the country’s National  Audit  Office42 and 
the  House  of  Commons  Committee  of  Public  Accounts.43  Having  examined  the  long-term 
regulatory strategy and the operational capability of certain regulatory agencies, both bodies 
concluded that the withdrawal from the EU had significantly affected the United Kingdom’s 
regulators,  which  had  assumed  new  responsibilities,  previously  carried  out  by  the  EU 
institutions, while losing access to EU data sharing and cooperation arrangements.  

The following section summarises the developments of the relevant United Kingdom’s law of 
a  cross-cutting  nature  (section  5.1.)  and  those  pertinent  to  the  level  playing  field  (section 
5.2.),  looking  at  the  most  significant  legislative  proposals  (bills)  and  adopted  legislation 
(acts). Where legislation is adopted, the report highlights the relevance from the point of view 
of the TCA. Ministerial announcements of policy intentions, as well as public consultations, 
are not addressed. While they may indicate a policy direction, it would be premature to draw 
conclusions on their basis.   

5.1.  Cross-cutting matters 

In  2022,  the  United  Kingdom  government  tabled  three  important  bills,  which  may  have 
repercussions on the functioning of the TCA in many areas. 

The Bill of Rights Bill was tabled in June 202244 with the objective to repeal and replace the 
Human Rights Act 1998, which incorporates the European Convention on Human Rights into 
domestic  law  of  the  United  Kingdom.  In  accordance  with  its  section  1(2),  the  bill  “re-
balances” the relationship between United Kingdom’s courts, the European Court of Human 
Rights  and  the  United  Kingdom’s  parliament.  Notably,  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United 
Kingdom would determine the meaning and effect of Convention rights for the purposes of 
domestic  law.  The  United  Kingdom’s  courts  and  public  authorities  would  no  longer  be 
required to read and give effect to United Kingdom’s legislation, so far as possible, in a way 
which is compatible with the Convention rights. The United Kingdom’s courts would have to 
give  the  greatest  possible  weight  to  the  principle  that  decisions  about  the  balance  between 
different policy aims, different human rights and rights of different persons are made by the 
United  Kingdom’s  parliament.  The  bill  “affirms”  that  “judgements,  decisions  and  interim 
measures of the European Court of Human Rights are not part of domestic law in the United 
Kingdom and do not affect the right of Parliament to legislate” (section 1(3) of the bill). 

41https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1054643/be
nefits-of-brexit.pdf 
42 https://www.nao.org.uk/reports/regulating-after-eu-exit/ 
43 https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/30148/documents/174754/default/  
44 https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3227 

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The Data Protection and Digital Information Bill was tabled in July 202245 with the objective 
to  reform  the  United  Kingdom’s  data  protection  framework,  on  which  the  Commission’s 
decisions on the adequacy of the level of protection for personal data provided by the United 
Kingdom  are based. The bill  introduces changes  in  several  areas, notably the legal  grounds 
for  the  processing  of  personal  data,  the  exercise  of  data  subject  rights,  the  rules  for  the 
transfer of personal data to third countries and the set-up and functioning of the independent 
data protection supervisory authority.    

Finally, in the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill46 laid before the parliament in 
September  2022,  the  government  proposes  to  overhaul  a  body  of  EU  law  retained  by  the 
United  Kingdom  at  the  end  of  the  transition  period,  automatically  sun-setting  it  on  31 
December  2023,  unless  otherwise  preserved.  The  bill  also  grants  ministers  the  authority  to 
amend  retained  EU  law  through  secondary  legislation  and  gives  the  courts  discretion  to 
deviate from EU case law. The government intends to review all retained EU law by the end 
of 2023.   

5.2. 

Level playing field for open and fair competition and sustainable 
development  

5.2.1.  Subsidy control and taxation 

The Subsidy Control Act (2022)47 was adopted in April 2022, setting out the framework for 
implementing the United Kingdom's international commitments on subsidy control, including 
those  under  the  TCA.  The  new  regime  came  into  force  in  January  2023.  Ahead  of  its 
implementation, subsidy control statutory guidance was adopted in November 2022 to assist 
public  authorities  in  awarding  subsidies.48 Further  secondary  legislation  is  expected.49  As 
outlined  in  the  previous  Commission  report,50  before  granting  subsidies,  public  authorities 
will have to evaluate them against a number of principles. Some categories must be referred 
to  the  Subsidy  Advice  Unit  within  the  Competition  and  Markets  Authority  for  assessment. 
The Subsidy Advice Unit does not have the power to prohibit subsidies. It may only issue a 
non-binding opinion on the compliance of the subsidies with the Subsidy Control Act.  The 
Commission will monitor carefully the application of the new subsidy regime. 

5.2.2.  Labour and social standards, environment and climate 

In the area of labour and social standards, the statutory instrument revoking the Conduct of 
Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations51 entered into force in July 
2022.  The  instrument  repealed  a  prohibition  imposed  on  employment  agencies  to  provide 
temporary staff to fill in for workers taking part in an industrial action. In September 2022, 

45  https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3322 
46  https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3340 
47  https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2022/23/enacted 
48  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-subsidy-control-statutory-guidance 
49   https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2022/9780348240023/introduction   
50  https://ec.europa.eu/info/publications/annual-report-implementation-and-application-trade-and-cooperation-
agreement-between-european-union-and-united-kingdom-great-britain-and-northern-ireland_en  
51  https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2003/3319/regulation/7/made  

12 

 
 
                                                           
trade  unions  in  the  United  Kingdom  took  this  file  to  the  International  Labour  Organization 
(ILO) for assessment.52 This is relevant in view of the United Kingdom’s commitment under 
Article 399(5) of the TCA to implement ratified ILO conventions.  

In  the  area  of  environment,  the  Genetic  Technology  (Precision  Breeding)  Bill53  was 
introduced  in  May  2022.  This  bill  relaxes the  rules  for  release  and  marketing  of  “precision 
bred  organisms”  (i.e.  plants  and  animals  that  could  have  been  produced  by  traditional 
breeding techniques) in England.  

6. 

Effects on trade flows and movement of persons54 

This 2022 report provides an opportunity to take stock of the economic impact for the EU of 
the  United  Kingdom’s  decision  to  withdraw  from  the  EU.  While  it  is  still  too  early  to 
determine the long-term economic impact, two years after the end of the transition period and 
over six years after the referendum, certain economic implications of the withdrawal became 
increasingly visible. This holds not only for trade flows in goods and services, but also for the 
movement of people.55 

6.1.  Trade flows 

6.1.1. Trade in goods56 

Looking  at  the  short  term,  following  a  sharp  decline  in  early  2021,  both  EU  exports  and 
imports had a significant recovery in  the first  three quarters of 2022, approaching the 2019 
pre-pandemic levels (Figure 1).57 

52  https://www.tuc.org.uk/research-analysis/reports/tuc-submission-ilo-committee-experts 
53  https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3167  
54  Unless indicated otherwise, all figures presented in this chapter are based on EURASTAT data. 
55  For a macroeconomic analysis and outlook, reference is made to the Commission’s European Economic 
Forecast (Autumn 2022) https://economy-finance.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2023-01/ip187_en.pdf   
56  All figures presented in this section are based on seasonally adjusted data.  
57  Data on trade with the United Kingdom for reference periods up to December 2020 were based on statistical 
concepts applicable to trade between the EU Member States. As of January 2021, data on trade with the United 
Kingdom is based on a mixed concept. For trade with Northern Ireland, the statistical concepts applicable are 
the same as those for trade between Member States while for trade with the United Kingdom excluding 
Northern Ireland, the same statistical concepts are applicable as for trade with any other extra-EU partner 
country. 

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Exports

Imports

Figure 1: EU trade in goods with the United Kingdom (source: Eurostat (EXT_ST_EU27_2020SITC) 

In  the  first  three  quarters  of  2022,  the  EU  exported  goods  worth  EUR  243  billion  to  the 
United  Kingdom,  which  represents  an  18%  increase  when  compared  to  the  same  period  of 
2021. The value of EU imports from the United Kingdom during this period was EUR 167 
billion, a 59% increase compared to the value of imports in the first three quarters of 2021.  

The  sectors  where  EU  exports  to  the  United  Kingdom  had  the  strongest  increase  when 
compared to 2021 included mineral fuels and chemicals. Equally, the increase in EU imports 
from the United Kingdom in the first three quarters of 2022 was primarily driven by mineral 
fuels.  The  smallest  growth  was  observed  in  the  EU  imports  of  manufactured  goods,  in 
particular machinery and transport equipment.  

Looking  at  the  longer  term,  however,  data  shows  that  imports  and  exports  combined 
remained rather stagnant during the 2016 – 2022 period. This contrasts sharply with the EU 
trade  with  its  other  international  partners.  While  the  EU  total  trade  with  its  international 
partners excluding the United Kingdom increased by 70% when compared to the first three 
quarters  of  2016  and  almost  40%  when  compared  to  the  first  three  quarters  of  2019,  the 
increase  was  significantly  lower  in  the  case  of  trade  with  the  United  Kingdom:  only  10% 
when compared to the first three quarters of 2016 and only 6% when compared to the same 
period of 2019 (Figure 2). 

14 

 
 
 
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Trade with other international partners excluding UK

Figure  2:    EU  trade  in  goods  with  the  United  Kingdom  and  other  international  partners  (source:  Eurostat 
EXT_ST_EU27_2020SITC) 

6.1.2.  Trade in services 

As in goods, when looking at the shorter term, bilateral trade in services for both EU exports 
and imports had a significant recovery in the first three quarters of 2022, exceeding the 2019 
pre-pandemic levels (Figure 3). 

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Exports

Imports

Figure 3: EU trade in services with the United Kingdom (2019 – 2022); source: Eurostat (BOP_EU6_Q) 

The value of EU exports to the United Kingdom in the first three quarters of 2022 amounted 
to  EUR  181  billion,  representing  a  25.6%  increase  when  compared  to  the  same  period  in 
2021.  The  value  of  EU  imports  from  the  United  Kingdom  amounted  to  EUR  139  billion, 
representing  a  13.1%  increase  when  compared  to  the  same  period  in  2021.  However,  this 
growth  was  less  dynamic  when  compared  to  EU  trade  in  services  with  other  international 
partners, where EU exports increased by 27.8% and imports by 31.3%. 

15 

 
 
 
 
 
Also  looking  at  the  longer  term,  both  EU  exports  and  imports  of  services  with  the  United 
Kingdom were less dynamic in comparison with EU trade with other international partners. 
While  in  2022,  the  EU  total  trade  in  services  with  its  international  partners  excluding  the 
United Kingdom increased by 51% compared to the first three quarters of 2016, this increase 
was lower in the case of trade in services with the United Kingdom:  38% when compared to 
the same period of 2016 (Figures 4 and 5). 

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United Kingdom

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Figure 4: EU exports of services to the United Kingdom and other international partners (2016  - 2022); source: Eurostat 
(BOP_EU6_Q) 

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United Kingdom

Other international partners excluding UK

Figure 5: EU imports of services from the United Kingdom and other international partners (2016 – 2022); source: Eurostat 
(BOP_EU6_Q) 

6.1.3.  Conclusion 

The  data  presented  above  demonstrate  that  the  withdrawal  of  the  United  Kingdom  had,  as 
expected, a negative impact on trade flows between the EU and the United Kingdom. They 
are  in  tune  with  numerous  assessments  carried  out  by  various  bodies,  institutions  and 

16 

 
 
 
 
 
stakeholders.  For  example,  the  United  Kingdom’s  Office  for  Budget  Responsibility,  which 
provides independent analysis of public finances, estimates that the total trade volumes with 
the EU are 15% lower than they would be if the United Kingdom remained a Member State.58 
Increased costs for UK companies exporting to the EU resulting from the withdrawal of the 
United Kingdom from the EU have been estimated at GBP 15 billion per year.59 This has, for 
instance, led some food producers from the United Kingdom to stop exporting to the EU.60   

6.2.  Movement of persons61 

The  end  of  free  movement  of  persons  between  the  EU  and  the  United  Kingdom  led,  as 
anticipated,  to  a  sharp  decline  of  mobility.  It  also  had  an  effect  on  short-term  visits.  While 
some  of  the  data  presented  below  relates  to  the  year  2021,  as  not  all  2022  statistics  were 
available  when  this  report  was  adopted,  nothing  suggests  that  the  trends  changed.  In  fact, 
between June 2021 and June 2022, more EU citizens left the United Kingdom than arrived, 
resulting in  a negative net  migration of EU  citizens of 51.000.62 Approximately 52.000 EU 
citizens received visas allowing them to live in the United Kingdom, which represents only 
5% of all visas granted.63  

6.2.1. Mobility of workers and students 

Since  1  January  2021,  EU  citizens  need  work  visa  to  take  up  employment  in  the  United 
Kingdom.  In 2021, around 34,000 EU citizens applied for work visas,  including  short-term 
and frontier workers. The latter category made more than a third of all work visa applications 
from EU citizens. Overall, applications made by EU citizens accounted for only 13% of all 
work visa applications filled in the United Kingdom.64   

EU citizens became also less likely to study in the United Kingdom. Applications from EU 
citizens to enrol in the United Kingdom’s universities fell significantly: from 98.580 in 2020 
to 48.350 in 2022, which represents an almost 50% decrease.65 

In  the  EU,  44.403  citizens  of  the  United  Kingdom  were  issued  first  residence  permits  for 
employment,  family,  education  or  other  reasons  in  2021.  Among  these  were  8.960  first 
residence  permits  for  employment  reasons  and  4.959  first  residence  permits  issued  for 
education reasons.66  

58  https://obr.uk/forecasts-in-depth/the-economy-forecast/brexit-analysis/  
59  https://ukandeu.ac.uk/the-new-costs-for-business-post-brexit/ 
60  The agri-food industry alone evaluated the cost of Brexit-related red tape at GBP 60 million. 
https://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Article/2022/02/23/Brexit-red-tape-has-cost-food-businesses-60m  
61 This section does not consider the movements of Irish and British nationals between the United Kingdom and 
Ireland in the Common Travel Area. 
62https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/internationalmigration/bullet
ins/longterminternationalmigrationprovisional/yearendingjune2022  
63 https://ukandeu.ac.uk/what-have-we-learned-about-migration-from-the-census/ 
64 https://migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/briefings/work-visas-and-migrant-workers-in-the-uk/  
65 https://migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/briefings/student-migration-to-the-uk/  
66 No data is available for Malta and Slovakia.   

17 

 
                                                           
6.2.2. Short-term visits 

There  is  currently  no  visa  requirement  for  short-term  visits  of  EU  citizens  to  the  United 
Kingdom and vice-versa. However, this does not automatically entail a right of entry. In fact, 
the number of EU citizens who were denied entry into the United Kingdom and subsequently 
returned increased substantially with the end of the transition period. The data released by the 
United Kingdom in 202267 reveal that, while in 2020 1.722 EU citizens had been denied entry 
to the United Kingdom accounting for 17% of all refusals, this figure rose sharply to 12.523 
EU citizens in 2021 (68% of all refusals). For comparison, the number of United Kingdom’s 
citizens  who  were  denied  entry  to  the  EU  in  2021  represented  just  3.2%  of  all  refusals.  A 
2022  report  by  the  United  Kingdom's  Independent  Chief  Inspector  of  Borders  and 
Immigration concluded that certain EU nationals seeking to enter the country were subject to 
higher levels of scrutiny by Border Force, without sufficient justification.68 

7.  Conclusions 

The  TCA  is  a  very  good  agreement  for  the  EU:  It  addresses  the  EU’s  interests  in  terms  of 
trade  and  cooperation  with  the  United  Kingdom.  At  the  same  time,  the  agreement  fully 
reflects the political red lines the EU and Member States established jointly in the wake of the 
United Kingdom’s decision to withdraw from the Union.  

Overall,  the  TCA  functions  well.  In  2022,  much  progress  was  made  in  finalising  the 
institutional arrangements, and, while challenges remain, the sectorial provisions of the TCA 
are  operational.  Most  of  the  remaining  challenges  were  linked  to  the  United  Kingdom’s 
persistent refusal to uphold its legal obligations under the Withdrawal Agreement. However, 
in  the  Windsor  Political  Declaration  of  27  February  2023,  both  the  European  Commission 
and the Government of the United Kingdom expressed their intention to fully exploit in the 
future the potential of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.69 

In terms of the evolution of the United Kingdom’s law, 2022 was marked by announcements. 
Monitoring the cases in which the announcements will lead to legislative or regulatory action 
with regard to the level playing field commitments of the TCA will continue to be of critical 
importance.  

While being one of the most ambitious and comprehensive agreements of its kind, the TCA is 
conceptually very different from participation in the Union’s single market and the Customs 
Union.  After  two  years  of  the  application  of  the  TCA,  the  impact  of  unravelling  deep 
economic integration provided by the single  market,  the Customs Union and other flanking 
policies became more apparent.  

67 https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-statistics-year-ending-march-2022/how-many-people-
are-detained-or-returned  
68https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1111534/An
_inspection_of_juxtaposed_controls__May_June_2022.pdf 
69 https://commission.europa.eu/system/files/2023-02/political%20declaration.pdf 

18 

 
 
 
                                                           
Annex 1: Meetings of the joint bodies established under the TCA in 2022 

Joint body 
Specialised Committee on Energy (2nd meeting) 

Specialised Committee on Fisheries (3rd meeting) 

Specialised Committee on Air Transport (2nd meeting) 

Date 
30 March 2022 

27 April 2022 

28 June 2022 

Specialised Committee on Social Security Coordination (2nd meeting) 

30 June 2022 

Specialised Committee on Fisheries (4th meeting) 

Specialised  Committee  on  Participation  in  Union  Programmes  (2nd 
meeting) 
Specialised Committee on Energy (3rd meeting) 
Trade Specialised Committee on Goods (2nd meeting) 
Trade Specialised Committee on Administrative Cooperation in VAT 
and Recovery of Taxes and Duties (2nd meeting) 
Trade Specialised Committee on Intellectual Property (2nd meeting) 
Trade  Specialised  Committee  on  Level  Playing  Field  for  Open  and 
Fair Competition and Sustainable Development (2nd meeting) 
Specialised Committee on Law Enforcement and Judicial Cooperation 
(2nd meeting) 
Trade Specialised Committee of Customs Cooperation and Rules of 
Origin (2nd meeting) 
Trade Specialised Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures 
(2nd meeting) 
Trade Specialised Committee on Services, Investment and Digital 
Trade (2nd meeting) 
Specialised Committee on Fisheries (5th meeting) 
Trade  Specialised  Committee  on  Technical  Barriers  to  Trade  (2nd 
meeting) 
Trade  Specialised  Committee  on  Regulatory  Cooperation  (2nd 
meeting) 
Trade Specialised Committee on Public Procurement (2nd meeting) 
Specialised Committee on Aviation Safety (2nd meeting) 
Specialised Committee on Road Transport (2nd meeting) 
Trade Partnership Committee  
Partnership Council  

20 July 2022 

22 September 2022 

28 September 2022 
5 October 2022 
6 October 2022 

10 October 2022 
12 October 2022 

13 October 2022 

17 October 2022 

19 October 2022 

20 October 2022 

21 October 2022 
24 October 2022 

26 October 2022 

27 October 2022 
14 November 2022 
21 November 2022 
1 December 2022 

-- 

19