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<p>The United Kingdom cannot negotiate its own trade agreements while it is still
a member of the European Union. The UK remains committed to supporting ongoing EU
negotiations with third countries and will remain a strong advocate for free trade.</p><p>
</p><p>As the UK leaves the EU, the Government is seeking to ensure continuity for
our existing EU trade agreements, including those with: Algeria, Colombia, Egypt,
Mexico, South Africa (as part of the <em>Southern African Development Community</em>
Economic Partnership Agreement), South Korea and Ukraine, as well as with Vietnam
once the EU-Vietnam free trade agreement has been ratified.</p><p> </p><p>The UK continues
to support the implementation of the EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with
the East Africa Community (EAC), including Kenya. If all EAC partners find a way to
sign the EPA, the UK will also seek to replicate the effects of this agreement before
we leave the EU.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is talking with a range of key trade
partners to explore the best ways of delivering our priorities for our trade and investment
relationships. These include working groups with Colombia, Mexico, South Korea and
Turkey, and commercial dialogues with Argentina and Thailand.</p><p> </p><p>We have
introduced legislation which enables the UK to put in place a trade preference scheme
for developing countries which will, as a minimum, provide the same level of access
as the EU’s scheme. Ethiopia, the Philippines, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burma,
Tanzania and Uganda are currently beneficiaries of the EU scheme.</p><p> </p><p>The
Department for International Trade (DIT) is working with all the listed countries
on promoting trade and investment relationships, including through our overseas network
of embassies and High Commissions. The number of visits to these countries by Ministers
from DIT are given in the tables below. DIT’s Permanent Secretary (Antonia Romeo)
and Second Permanent Secretary (Crawford Falconer) have not visited these countries
in the period specified. Visits to these countries by other DIT officials is not recorded
centrally.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Country</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total
visits</strong> (23 June 2016 – present)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Mexico</p></td><td><p>3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Ethiopia</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Philippines</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Egypt</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Vietnam</p></td><td><p>2</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>DRC</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Iran</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Turkey</p></td><td><p>3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Thailand</p></td><td><p>3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Burma</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>South Africa</p></td><td><p>3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Tanzania</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>South
Korea</p></td><td><p>3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Colombia</p></td><td><p>2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Kenya</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Argentina</p></td><td><p>2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Ukraine</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Algeria</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Uganda</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Iraq</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p>Details of expenditure for DIT Ministerial travel overseas is published on
the Gov.uk website on a quarterly basis: <a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dit-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel-january-to-march-2018"
target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/dit-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel-january-to-march-2018</a>.</p>
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