Recommendation 15

There is some value to UK accession to CPTPP as a forum for like-minded countries to discuss the challenges facing international trade and find ways to cooperate in addressing these issues. However, the utility of this rallying point against the backdrop of a more protectionist trade environment is limited. While the difficulties within the WTO amplify the importance of plurilateral rules-based trade agreements such as CPTPP, it will only represent a small part of UK trade as a whole.