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Chapter 2 of the EU UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement provides for the involvement of trade representatives or ‘Civil Society’ representatives in contributing to the continuation of EU UK trade facilitation through the Civil Society Forum, which meets annually.
The government has invited to participate as an observer for those interested in gaining insight into UK-EU trade cooperation legislation and methods.
Trade Agreement link below:
UK/EU and EAEC: Trade and Cooperation Agreement [TS No.8/2021] - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Part 2:
The objective of this Chapter is to facilitate trade in goods between the Parties and to maintain liberalised trade in goods in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
The Forum is a mechanism for EU and UK representatives to share their views and recommendations on Part 2 of the Agreement, which includes discussion topics such as trade, transport, energy, fisheries, and social security coordination.
The annual Civil Society Forum (CSF) meets for the third time on 20 September 2024 in Brussels. The topics for discussion this September will include:
- trade in goods
- level playing field and regulatory cooperation
- trade in services
- energy
Should you wish to apply for observer status at the CSF, complete the UK CSF registration form here:
UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement Civil Society Forum: register for observer status - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and email it to
Registrations must be received by 11:59 pm on 6 September 2024.
If your business is an EU organisation, EU observing participants can register at the link here: EUSurvey - Survey (europa.eu)
More information on the CSF's technical operation is available here: operational guidelines for the conduct of the Civil Society Forum (876.6KB).
If you are interested in exploring this topic further, you might find it worthwhile to consider the training courses and live clinics offered by Strong & Herd LLP:
Focus On: Understanding Free Trade Agreements
With the UK developing new independent trade arrangements both to encourage the export and import of goods and services from affiliated markets, this session is a must. Some knowledge of customs regulations is recommended or attendance on courses introducing this topic. This course looks at the structure of new and old UK international trade agreements, the key rules of origin and how to understand the whole agreement covering goods, services and other trade issues.
Understanding Origin & Preference
What is the difference between origin and preferential origin? This interactive workshop explains this by using case studies and exercises to help the learner understand when they are important in both export and import scenarios. It examines the documents and statements used to declare origin and preference and how to verify if your goods meet preference rules across different trade agreements. With HMRC audits increasing, you and the business need to be comfortable with this complex area.
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