To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what opportunities he has identified for further trade cooperation with Israel once the UK is no longer party to the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
Answered on
16 May 2018
As we leave the European Union, we are seeking to replicate our existing EU free trade agreements and other EU preferential arrangements, so as to ensure continuity in our trade and investment relationships with third countries.
The Prime Minister met the Israeli Prime Minister in February 2017 and agreed to establish a joint trade working group. In March 2017, my noble friend, the then Minister of State for Trade Policy (Lord Price CVO), visited Israel to chair the first meeting of the working group, which is continuing to make positive progress towards ensuring a smooth transition.
The UK and Israel have an important trading relationship, which we are committed to strengthening through our dedicated trade promotion team at our Embassy in Israel.