The Switzerland–Liechtenstein–United Kingdom Trade Agreement is a plurilateral continuity trade agreement established to maintain and replicate, as far as possible, the pre-existing trade arrangements between the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

, and

Liechtenstein Liechtenstein (, ; ; ), officially the Principality of Liechtenstein ( ), is a Landlocked country#Doubly landlocked, doubly landlocked Swiss Standard German, German-speaking microstate in the Central European Alps, between Austria in the east ...

following the UK's withdrawal from the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...

. The agreement ensures the continued flow of goods between the three countries, preserving economic stability and minimizing trade disruptions post-Brexit.

Background

Prior to Brexit, trade relations among the UK, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein were governed by a network of agreements between the European Union (EU) and Switzerland, which were also extended to Liechtenstein due to its participation in the Swiss customs territory and the European Economic Area (EEA). These included the 1972 Free Trade Agreement for industrial products and the 1999 Agricultural Agreement, both of which ceased to apply to the UK after its departure from the EU. To avoid disruption, the UK and Switzerland signed a bilateral continuity trade agreement in February 2019, which entered into force on 1 January 2021. To extend these arrangements to Liechtenstein, an additional agreement was concluded, creating the Switzerland–Liechtenstein–United Kingdom Trade Agreement.

References

{{free trade agreements of the United Kingdom Free trade agreements of the United Kingdom 2019 in Liechtenstein 2019 in Switzerland 2019 in the United Kingdom 2021 in Liechtenstein 2021 in Switzerland 2021 in the United Kingdom Treaties concluded in 2019 Treaties entered into force in 2021 Economy of Liechtenstein Economy of Switzerland Economy of the United Kingdom Liechtenstein–United Kingdom relations Switzerland–United Kingdom relations

Background

See also

References