UKTBC Blueprint Tracker

The UK should establish a UK-EU Regulatory Cooperation Council with the EU to maintain collaboration on regulatory matters between the UK and the EU.

The UK-EU Regulatory Cooperation Council should meet on an annual basis and build on commitments made in the Windsor Framework, protecting Northern Ireland’s position in the UK union and on the island of Ireland.

The UK should commit to a predictable approach to regulation and to consultation, impact assessments and adjustment times, should the UK decide to adopt regulations different from those in the EU.

The UK should maintain food safety standards aligned with those of the EU by adopting the key principles outlined in EU legislation, such as the General Food Law (Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002) and Regulation EC 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs.

The UK Government should seek to deepen collaboration on food and drink innovation with the EU and research to develop a shared understanding of emerging technologies, best practice, and regulatory challenges as applied to novel foods, food additives, and new production technologies.

The UK should strengthen its monitoring and control systems for chemical contaminants and residues in food, at least in line with EU requirements.

Maximum residue limits (MRLs) for pesticides, other contaminants, and veterinary drugs should be aligned with the EU, including Regulation (EC) No. 396/2005 and Regulation (EC) No. 470/2009.

The UK should enhance its national residue monitoring programmes and risk-based control systems to ensure compliance with EU regulations, incorporating regular testing and reporting of results.

The UK should enhance its coordination with EU institutions and member states on the surveillance and response to foodborne disease outbreaks.

The UK should actively participate in the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) surveillance networks and systems, such as the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) and the European Surveillance System (TESSy). The UK should provide intelligence input to RASFF to facilitate a more effective and timely response to food safety threats.

The UK should collaborate closely with EU agencies and partners on epidemiological investigations, traceback efforts, and risk assessments related to foodborne disease outbreaks, ensuring access to EU databases, resources, and expertise.

The UK Government should seek to ensure that all imported food products meet minimum regulatory standards, including environmental requirements, equivalent to those applied to domestically produced food.

When negotiating new trade agreements, the UK Government should ensure minimum standards of food safety, animal welfare, and environmental protections of future imports are met and at least in line with EU standards or UK standards where these are higher.

The UK should negotiate a new Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) and veterinary equivalence agreement with the EU to facilitate seamless trade in livestock, plants, and related products. The SPS agreement should support wider Government efforts to level the trading playing field for UK food producers.

The UK should maintain regulatory alignment between the UK and the EU for organic food standards to facilitate continued equivalence beyond 31 December 2023.

The UK Government should establish a new agreement between the UK and the EU within the TCA to monitor and enforce compliance with organic food standards and support ongoing cooperation.

The UK should maintain regulatory alignment on manufactured products, in particular cars, aircraft, and medical devices with EU standards to facilitate trade and enhance the competitiveness of its manufacturing industries.

The UK should seek maximum cooperation in EU agencies related to manufactured goods to promote cooperation and harmonisation in the field of regulation and safety. Including: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) European Medicines Agency (EMA) European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER)

The UK Government should engage in negotiations with the EU to define the terms of the UK’s cooperation with these agencies, addressing issues such as financial contributions, access to information and resources, and representation in decision-making processes.

Where full accession is not possible, the UK Government should foster collaboration between UK regulatory authorities and the relevant EU agencies to share expertise, data, and best practices related to manufactured goods regulation and safety.

The UK Government should work strategically to maximise the UK’s influence over international standards. This will be essential to promote vital UK interests in the face of intense global competition and ensure that standards for fast-developing technologies such as artificial intelligence reflect UK values and consumer interests.

The UK should adopt EU risk management decisions on chemicals but retain the ability to deviate.

The UK Government should delay the mandatory use of the new UKCA marking until there is a clear demonstration that the marking offers tangible benefits to UK regulators, businesses and consumers.

The UK Government should use the intervening time to fully review the UKCA certification process and ensure that it is cost-effective, efficient and risk-based. This could involve simplifying documentation requirements, focusing on innovative digital solutions or reducing the need for third-party assessments.

The UK Government should work closely with the EU in order to establish a plan for the mutual recognition of conformity assessment results. This would reduce trade friction considerably for UK businesses trading into the EU.

The UK Government should support maintaining the position of BSI within the European standardisation framework.

The UK Government should engage in negotiations with the EU to establish a formal link between the UK and EU ETS, enabling the mutual recognition and trading of allowances between the two systems. The necessary legislative and regulatory measures should be implemented to enable this linkage, including provisions for ongoing monitoring, review, and dispute resolution.

The UK Government should design and implement a UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) that aligns with the EU CBAM scheme, ensuring consistency in the treatment of imported goods with embedded carbon emissions and reducing the reporting requirements needed to cooperate with the EU effectively.

The UK Government should implement efficient reporting and monitoring systems for the UK CBAM and periodically review and update the UK CBAM in line with the EU scheme to reflect developments in carbon pricing, international trade, and climate policy.

The UK should therefore engage in ongoing dialogue and cooperation with the EU and other international partners to monitor the effectiveness of carbon border adjustments and address any emerging challenges or opportunities.

The UK Government should maintain Title VIII Energy Provisions and ensure they ‘roll over’ in the UK’s agreements with the EU, facilitating continued cooperation and alignment in energy policy and regulation.

The UK Government should collaborate with the EU on the development and implementation of shared energy objectives, such as enhancing energy security, promoting renewable energy, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The UK should prioritise North Sea energy cooperation, freeing up electricity trading arrangements.

The UK Government should enhance cooperation with the EU in the pursuit of shared net-zero targets, focusing on joint initiatives, research, and investment in low-carbon technologies and energy infrastructure. This should include identifying areas of alignment, such as EU deforestation and corporate reporting requirements, and developing joint strategies to address these issues.

To ensure ongoing communication and collaboration on climate and energy policy, the UK should establish mechanisms for cooperation between the UK and EU authorities, facilitating the exchange of best practices and information, allowing both the UK and the EU to learn from each other’s experiences and progress towards shared climate goals.

The UK should rejoin the European Environment Agency.

The UK Government should ensure that UK measures related to corporate action on trade, such as deforestation and sustainability requirements, are consistent with those required by EU law.

The UK Government should establish a sustainable trade dialogue with the EU and other affected countries to seek to minimise the impact of trade-related measures on UK businesses and consumers. Dialogue should focus on identifying areas of alignment between the UK’s and the EU’s sustainability and trade policies, as well as promoting cooperation and the exchange of best practices in the areas of sustainability and trade.

The UK should at least align with evolving EU rules and standards on health and safety protection for workers, environmental quality standards and consumer protection.

The UK should maintain airline passenger compensation at least in line with EU Regulation 261/2004 to ensure that passengers are fairly compensated for any disruptions or cancellations.

The UK Government should revive UK participation in the Horizon research and innovation programme by negotiating an agreement with the EU that allows UK researchers and businesses to continue their participation in Horizon programmes.

The UK Government should rejoin the Erasmus Programme, which provides opportunities for UK students and academics to study, work, and train in EU countries, and vice versa.

The UK should maintain alignment with EU regulations related to clinical trials, ensuring that UK-based researchers and businesses can participate in pan-European clinical trials.

The UK should work with the EU to maintain equivalence for clearing past 30 June 2025, and assess the potential benefits of seeking equivalence arrangements in other areas of financial services.

The UK and EU should fully implement a financial services Regulatory Cooperation Dialogue to foster a close and productive relationship with EU authorities.

The UK should retain and extend data adequacy with the EU to ensure the continued flow of personal data between the UK and the EU, aiming to achieve a longer commitment to adequacy. The UK must ensure data protection legislation or agreements with other countries do not undermine GDPR principles, resulting in a loss of adequacy.

The UK Government should collaborate with the EU, professional associations and regulatory bodies to seek mutual recognition agreements in various fields, such as engineering, accounting, auditing, law, and architecture.

The UK should work with the relevant professional associations and regulatory bodies to develop the necessary frameworks and standards for mutual recognition.

The UK should establish a small service provider dialogue with the EU to address the disproportionate impact of trade barriers on small businesses and freelancers and to consider issues related to visas and other relevant factors.

The UK should aim to match or exceed the labour and employment protections provided by EU law.

The UK should maintain its commitments under new and existing international trade agreements, such as the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), by avoiding the reduction of labour standards in order to gain trade advantages.

The UK should seek to match commitments made on labour, environment, and human rights under the newest EU equivalent trade agreement when negotiating new Free Trade Agreements.

The UK Board of Trade should advise the UK Government on how the UK can minimise the trade barriers arising from our regulatory choices and identify areas where the UK can gain economic advantage from actively aligning or diverging from the regulations of our major markets.

The UK Board of Trade should ensure trade costs are considered as a formal part of the regulatory process, and inform, assist and consult UK companies on trade and regulatory issues.

The UK Board of Trade should conduct an annual survey of UK stakeholder experience of UK trade policy and provide an entry point into government for UK companies.

The UK Board of Trade should collaborate with relevant parliamentary committees to analyse and assess the costs and benefits of different trade policy options and provide evidence-based recommendations to the UK Government.

The UK Board of Trade should assess the impact of trade policy options on various policy areas such as climate change, employment, and agriculture, to enable the UK Government to make informed decisions that align with its wider policy objectives.

The UK Board of Trade should produce a comprehensive annual trade report, modelled on the US and EU trade reports, and which assesses the UK’s trade policy developments.

The UK Board of Trade board should consist of board members, including representatives from major UK business organisations, trade unions, devolved governments, SMEs, and senior experts in trade and regulation.

The composition of temporary members should be tailored to the nature of any trade deals under negotiation. By including a diverse range of stakeholders and experts, the UK Board of Trade can ensure that trade policy is informed by a broad spectrum of perspectives and expertise, leading to better outcomes for the UK.

The UK Board of Trade should conduct impact assessments of trade agreements to ensure they are consistent with domestic policy objectives and do not have unintended consequences. Such assessments should be evidence-based, considering the potential social, economic, and environmental impacts of the proposed trade agreements.

The UK should negotiate bilateral and reciprocal youth mobility visa schemes with individual EU Member States. These schemes would allow young people between the ages of 18 and 35 to travel and work in both the UK and EU member states for up to five years.

The UK should review the uptake and implementation of the visa scheme on an annual basis, evaluating the number of young people taking up the scheme and identifying any trends or patterns in the types of industries or sectors they are working in.

The review should identify any barriers to the uptake of the visa scheme, such as high fees or health levies, and take steps to address these barriers.

The UK should participate in the EU ‘List of Travellers’ Scheme to facilitate visa-free school visits for EU schools, making it easier for EU students to visit the UK for educational purposes.

The UK Government should prioritise a comprehensive review of the implementation and uptake of the Seasonal Worker Visa Scheme to determine areas for improvement.

The UK should develop a Visa Waiver Agreement with the EU for those working in the cultural sector on a temporary basis.

The UK should negotiate bilateral cultural agreements for work permits with individual EU Member States.

The UK should reduce the cost of ATA Carnets and work towards a cultural exemption for musical instruments and equipment.

The UK Government should review and relax its business visitor rules to enable corporations to bring in highly skilled workers for short-term projects. This will support the growth of businesses that rely on international talent and enhance the UK’s capability.

The UK Government should consider extending the maximum permissible stay under business visas to enable businesses to pursue longer-term projects and improve business continuity.

The UK Government should conduct a review of the visa costs and paperwork facing UK businesses and seek to make the system more accessible to businesses of all sizes. This will promote a more favourable business environment for international trade.

The UK Government should examine the possibility of relaxing Mode 4 restrictions with major trade partners where this can assist negotiations for deeper Free Trade Agreements. This will promote greater cooperation and foster deeper trade relationships.

The UK should also consider developing a specific visa category for freelance workers, which would allow them to work in both the UK and the EU for short periods. This would provide greater flexibility for businesses and freelancers alike, and promote cross-border collaboration and innovation.

The UK Government should prioritise targeted skills development programmes in the UK to address labour shortages in specific sectors, such as healthcare and hospitality. These programmes should focus on training workers with the skills necessary to fill these roles, and should be tailored to the needs of individual sectors. This should include vocational and further education, which could be further boosted by exchange options.

The UK Government and EU should task officials with developing a roadmap of TCA improvements to be delivered over a multi-year period, which should then be agreed and overseen by Ministers.

Where possible, the UK Government should seek to ensure the UK’s participation in EU agencies as part of the 2026 TCA review, in line with the recommendations listed in Section 1.3 of this report.

The UK and EU should extend the current rules of origin grace period for electric vehicles.

The UK should align its rules of origin with the pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin to facilitate participation in regional supply chains. This will allow for diagonal cumulation of origin, which can help to reduce the administrative burden on businesses and promote cross-border trade.

The UK should prepare for the renegotiation of the fisheries chapter of the TCA, by focusing on improved quota shares for the UK’s fishing fleet, improved control over UK waters and the reduction of non-tariff barriers, such as shellfish water quality.

The UK and EU should work together to develop a common approach to the digital economy, including by promoting cross-border data flows and standards for digital products and services.

The UK should review cabotage arrangements as outlined in the TCA to allow for greater flexibility in EU travel for UK-based operators and vice versa.

The UK Government should seek to include a new mobility chapter as part of the 2026 TCA review with the EU in line with the recommendations listed in Section 3 of this report.

To achieve this, the UK Government should seek deepening of existing relationships with key trading partners, development of new partnerships, and utilising diplomatic and trade promotion support to facilitate economic cooperation.

The UK should prioritise promoting its soft power assets, including its world-renowned universities and research institutions, to attract foreign investment and talent to the UK.

The UK should seek to establish a trade forum as part of the European Political Community.

The UK should initiate and maintain regular dialogues with individual EU Member States on specific areas of mutual interest such as trade, security, and other forms of cooperation.

The UK should ensure the effective implementation of existing FTAs and seek to deepen these agreements where possible.

The UK should work to strengthen its transatlantic dialogue with the US and seek agreements on digital trade and financial services regulatory cooperation.

The UK should explore the scope for mutually beneficial agreements with countries where none are currently in place, such as Indonesia, Thailand, and Brazil. These agreements need not necessarily follow the FTA model and should be backed up by stronger diplomatic and trade promotion support.

The UK should make the resolution of market access cases a priority for its embassies around the world.

The UK should join global efforts to guarantee free trade in critical raw materials.

The UK Government should convene a trade policy dialogue of similar “middle powers” of global trade seeking to protect global trade rules.

The UK should reinvigorate the development of its soft power capabilities, including cultural and diplomatic outreach, to support its trade and investment strengths. This should include promoting the role of institutions such asthe British Council and BBC in shaping global perceptions of the UK.

The UK should improve visa treatment for universities to ensure the UK has access to the best talent and expertise from around the world.

The UK should maintain its generous trading scheme for developing countries and consider allowing full cumulation between countries in the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.

The UK Government should hold a parliamentary debate on the objectives for new Free Trade Agreement negotiations on the basis of a mandate and outline impact assessment.

The UK Government should subject completed new Free Trade Agreements and the independent impact assessments surrounding them to parliamentary scrutiny and approval well ahead of ratification and implementation.

The UK Government should hold an annual debate on the country’s trade strategy and performance, based on the UK Board of Trade’s annual report.

The UK Government should develop a trade strategy including policy trade-offs and agreement priorities.

The UK Government should establish a dedicated learning programme for ongoing negotiations with the EU. This programme should provide comprehensive training on modern negotiating practices and the broader trade context.

The UK Government should implement a secondment programme between government officials and stakeholders, businesses, and civil society.

The UK should implement a single window system for the entry of trade data, including digitising import and export processes, to streamline border and customs processes.

The UK should deliver on its public commitments by implementing a border operating model for trade from the EU, which takes a modern risk-based approach to imports (this will be facilitated by veterinary equivalence, see recommendation 14).

The UK should reinvigorate trusted trader programmes to facilitate trade and reduce administrative burdens for businesses.

The UK should improve facilities and processes at Dover to reduce waiting times for lorry drivers, which will enhance the UK’s attractiveness as a trading partner and reduce costs for businesses.

The UK should enhance engagement with devolved governments and city-region mayors to align priorities on trade policy.

The UK should actively seek to attract inward investment for new production facilities across the country.

The UK Board of Trade should ensure that trade deal impact assessments and reports on UK trade policy performance provide strong regional breakdowns to understand the impact on different regions.

The UK should build capacity in public sector organisations across the country to enable constructive engagement with the UK Government on trade policy.

The UK should seek particular provisions in trade agreements to allow Northern Ireland to take full advantage of new export opportunities by allowing for all-Ireland input to count as originating from the UK.

The UK should ensure stable funding and support schemes are in place to assist SMEs who want to start exporting, with the option for scale-up assistance such as support with trade fairs.

The UK should provide targeted market access assistance to smaller companies, particularly those lacking resources to overcome issues, designating one commercial officer in embassies as the lead for SMEs.

The UK should develop content for SME chapters in trade agreements, focusing on the real issues faced by SMEs in areas such as visas and consignment costs, and by bringing in thresholds which mean that SMEs can avoid certain measures.