Reimagining UK–EU trade
As the UK and EU prepare for the 2026 review of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), the moment offers a rare chance to rebuild trust and optimise long-term trade.
A new report from the Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade, urges both sides to use this review to cut friction, reduce costs, and restore the conditions for growth.
The report sets out eight recommendations, ranging from industrial cooperation to mobility frameworks. Together, they form a blueprint for a closer, more resilient economic partnership:
1. Strengthen industrial and trade policy alignment
2. Support Northern Ireland’s dual market role
3. Reform rules of origin
4. Streamline customs and border procedures
5. Implement the Common Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Area
6. Deepen regulatory cooperation
7. Advance mobility framework
8. Implement Emissions Trading Schemes (ETS) linkage
Three practical priorities for UK–EU policymakers
While all eight recommendations matter, three stand out as immediate, practical steps to ease day-to-day trade and cooperation.
1. Reforming Rules of Origin
Current rules of origin under the TCA are overly complex, especially for SMEs. Simplifying and harmonising criteria, enabling diagonal cumulation with partners like Japan or South Korea, and exploring UK re-entry into the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention would make tariff-free trade more accessible across supply chains.
2. Streamlining customs and border processes
Customs declarations have surged from 55 million to almost 270 million annually, costing traders billions. The report calls for digital trade corridors to cut duplication, trusted trader schemes to ease compliance, and a Common Security Zone to eliminate duplicate safety declarations. Aligning the UK’s 2025 Trade Strategy with the EU’s Customs Reform programme would further modernise border efficiency.
3. Realising the Common SPS Area
Agrifood has been one of the sectors hit hardest by Brexit friction. Delivering the Common Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Area, agreed in principle at the 2025 UK–EU summit, could cut delays and paperwork. A joint SPS committee and structured engagement with industry would reduce duplication, safeguard high standards, and stabilise cross-border supply chains.
Balancing practical and strategic reform
The other five recommendations—on industrial alignment, Northern Ireland’s dual market role, regulatory cooperation, mobility, and emissions trading—represent longer-term, strategic reforms that can reinforce trust and resilience. But the three priorities above are the quickest wins, offering tangible relief for businesses and demonstrating that UK–EU cooperation can deliver.
The upcoming TCA review is not a renegotiation but an opportunity to optimise. By tackling rules of origin, customs, and SPS, the UK and EU can show that closer alignment and pragmatic cooperation are not just possible—but essential for future prosperity.
From complex rules of origin to shifting customs requirements, our UK and EU experts deliver end-to-end solutions that reduce costs, simplify compliance, and keep trade flowing.
We partner with customers across both markets to anticipate regulatory change, support supplier education, and manage every documentary need, ensuring supply chains remain resilient and competitive.
Get in touch today to discover how we can help you navigate the evolving UK–EU trade environment with confidence.