Canada-United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement timeline

The following timeline describes milestones toward finalizing the Canada-UK Trade Continuity Agreement (Canada-UK TCA):

March 24, 2022
Canada and the U.K. launched negotiations toward a high-standard and ambitious free trade agreement that is tailored to our bilateral interests and trade priorities.

April 1, 2021
The Canada-UK TCA entered into force on April 1, 2021, providing continuity, predictability and stability to trade between Canada and the UK until a new agreement that best reflects the Canada-UK bilateral trade relationship enters into force.  

March 19, 2021
Minister Ng announces that Canada is ratifying the Canada-UK TCA. The announcement follows the Royal Assent of Bill C-18: An Act to implement the Agreement on Trade Continuity between Canada and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

News release: Minister Ng announces Canada is ratifying the Canada-United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement

March 12, 2021
Canada launches public consultations to seek the views of Canadians regarding possible future trade negotiations, including talks for the UK’s potential accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

News release: Minister Ng launches public consultations on trade negotiations with United Kingdom

January 1, 2021
Canada and the UK put temporary measures in place that ensure continued preferential tariff treatment of goods shipped between both countries until the Canada-UK TCA enters into force.

News release: Canada announces steps to ensure stability for Canada-United Kingdom trade in goods

December 31, 2020
The Brexit transition period ends and with it, the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) ceases to apply to the UK at 6 pm ET.

December 22, 2020
Canada and the UK sign a memorandum of understanding that includes the commitments each country will take to ensure continued preferential tariff treatment of goods from the date CETA ceases to apply to the UK until the date that the Canada-UK TCA enters into force.

News release: Canada announces steps to ensure stability for Canada-United Kingdom trade in goods

December 9, 2020
Minister Ng introduces Bill C-18, An Act to implement the Canada-United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement (Canada-UK TCA) in the House of Commons.

News release: Minister Ng introduces legislation in House of Commons to implement Canada-United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement

November 21, 2020
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson join Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, and Elizabeth Truss, UK Secretary of State for International Trade, to announce the successful conclusion of trade negotiations for the Canada-UK TCA that preserves preferential market access to the UK market for Canadian businesses. The transition period for the UK to leave the European Union ends on December 31, 2020.

News release: Canada successfully concludes talks on transitional trade continuity agreement with the United Kingdom

August 2020
Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, and her UK counterpart Elizabeth Truss, Secretary of State for International Trade, welcome reengagement and commit their officials to work toward completing a Canada-UK Transitional Trade Agreement (TTA) for ratification. Both ministers agree that the TTA would be an interim arrangement to be followed in the near future by negotiations toward a new agreement.

Readout: Minister Ng speaks with United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for International Trade

July 2020
Canada indicates its willingness to reengage in discussions to finalize a trade agreement with the UK, provided an agreement is transitional in nature and leads, in the near future, to the negotiation of a new bilateral free trade agreement.

June 2020
The UK notifies the EU that it will not extend the transition period for CETA beyond December 31, 2020.

May 2020
The UK publishes a new most-favoured nation applied-tariff schedule, known as the UK Global Tariff or UKGT, to apply as of January 1, 2021.

January 2020
The UK formally leaves the EU on January 31, 2020 and enters into a transition period until December 31, 2020, during which the UK continues to participate in the EU Single Market and EU law continues to apply in the UK.

This arrangement allows for Canada to consent to the UK’s continued participation in CETA (and all other Canada-EU arrangements) for the duration of the transition period. The withdrawal agreement includes the option for the UK and EU to agree, by June 30, 2020, on an extension of the transition period by one or two years beyond December 31, 2020.

Canada Gazette notice: Canada’s international agreements with the European Union post-Brexit
Statement: Canada-European Union agreements to continue to apply to the United Kingdom during Brexit transition period

October 2019
The UK and the EU conclude a withdrawal agreement treaty, avoiding a “no-deal” Brexit outcome. The withdrawal agreement treaty sets out the terms for the UK’s departure from the EU. It is accompanied by a political declaration that outlines the possible future UK-EU relationship, including on trade.

March 2019
The Canada-UK trade dialogue is paused when the UK publishes a temporary applied tariff schedule that would have offered all World Trade Organization members duty-free access on approximately 95% of tariff lines if the UK left the EU without any agreement in place at the end of March 2019.

July 2018
A Canada Gazette notice is published to announce prospects for a Canada-UK transitional trade agreement (TTA) that would lead to a seamless transition of trade. Global Affairs Canada held public consultations with the provinces and territories, and with representatives of various industry sectors from July 2018 to November 2018 to hear their views on a possible TTA. 

September 2017
In a joint statement, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and UK Prime Minister Theresa May emphasize their desire for a seamless transition on trade as the UK exits the EU and, to this end, announce the Canada-UK Trade Dialogue to replicate the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).

Statement: Prime Minister of Canada announces closer collaboration with the United Kingdom