News

UK-Kenya Continuity Trade Agreement

Trade and market access

Brexit pulse alert: respond to the business impacts of Brexit

3 November, 2020

Brexit development

The UK government has agreed a continuity trade agreement with Kenya to ensure that firms in both countries can continue to trade on largely the same terms as present.

Top Brexit impacts

The agreement in principle provides confidence to businesses that trade between the UK and Kenya will continue on largely the same terms as secured in the EU-East African Community (EAC) Economic Partnership Agreement.

The UK government has said that new agreement will “ensure all companies operating in Kenya, including British businesses, can continue to benefit from duty-free access as they export products including vegetables and flowers to their customers back in the UK… It also guarantees continued market access for UK exporters, who together sold £815m in goods and services to Kenya last year”.

The agreement translates the terms previously agreed between the EU and the EAC, which includes Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. The UK-Kenya agreement includes clauses to permit other EAC states to join in the future. It will be formally signed once legal checks have been completed.

Actions for business

Businesses trading within the UK-Kenya corridor will be able to plan for the future with greater certainty. Once published, firms will have some time to examine the legal text of the agreement, which will come into effect on 1 January 2021 after the transition period.

To discuss specific support with your Brexit preparations based on this latest development contact: Deloitte Brexit Insights

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