Consultation on Government engagement with business and civil society groups on implementation of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement
The Cabinet Office has published a consultation on Government engagement with business and civil society groups on implementation of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
The Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) states that both the UK and the EU will ‘consult civil society on the implementation of this Agreement and any supplementing agreement’.
This includes engaging domestically through a Domestic Advisory Group (DAG), and UK and EU stakeholders engaging together through a Civil Society Forum (CSF).
Questions
1. How should the UK Government engage formally on TCA implementation issues through a domestic advisory group? The Government is planning a meeting once or twice a year with one group and would welcome your comments on the format, scope, and other ways of consultation. How do you see this group operating effectively?
2. If a selection had to be made, what further criteria, additional to those set out in Article 14 of the TCA, could be prioritised to decide the members of the UK delegation to the Civil Society Forum, e.g. the size of the economic or public interest, geographical interest, trade knowledge and experience or ability to
protect and represent the UK’s interest effectively?
3. What role should the UK Government play in supporting interactions between UK and EU stakeholders on TCA implementation, in addition to the sharing of contact information under the terms of the TCA and facilitating the CSF meetings?
How to respond: This consultation will be open from 9 August 2021 until 14 September 2021. Please submit your response to this consultation by 11:59pm on 14 September 2021. A summary of responses and further information on next steps will be published shortly after the consultation closes. When responding, please state whether you are responding as an individual or representing the views of an organisation. Your response will be most useful where it is framed in direct response to the questions posed, though further comments are also welcome. Email to: tcadomesticadvisory@cabinetoffice.gov.uk