Source · Select Committees · Business and Trade Committee
Recommendation 1
1
Acknowledged
Include robust, enforceable intellectual property chapters in all new and updated FTAs.
Recommendation
Asia-Pacific offers vast commercial potential for UK exports of both goods and services, but realising these opportunities for greater trade will depend on overcoming barriers through targeted regulatory diplomacy and sustained engagement through dialogues and trade frameworks. In particular, the Government must include robust and enforceable IP chapters in all new and updated FTAs. It should also ensure that adequate resources are allocated to support enforcement, investigation, and trade promotion of IP protections. (Conclusion, Paragraph 24)
Government Response Summary
The government agreed on the importance of trade dialogues for achieving trade outcomes and described its ongoing engagement with Asia-Pacific partners to address market access and regulatory environments. However, it did not explicitly commit to including robust IP chapters in all new FTAs or to allocating specific resources for IP enforcement and promotion.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The Government agrees that trade dialogues provide an important and powerful tool to achieve trade outcomes. The Government uses its trade dialogues to address market access barriers, shape regulatory environments for industries that will shape the future global economy and strengthen economic cooperation. Since the start of this Parliament, the Minister of State for Trade Policy and Economic Security has chaired dialogues with trading partners such as Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Taiwan. The Secretary of State has held dialogues with Japan, Australia and New Zealand, key FTA partners in the region. In support of all these dialogues there is significant engagement at official level to understand business priorities and concerns, opportunities from, and utilisation rates of, trade agreements and how to best utilise dialogues to deliver on these. In addition, where appropriate, the Government works with businesses to engage with and influence partner governments in the region in support of the UK’s objectives.