Agreement will gradually eliminate tarrifs on goods and services over next five years

Shortened trade talks will result in ‘flimsy’ deal, former British prime minister says

AROUND the same time yesterday that Boris Johnson was urging MPs to back his post- Brexit trade deal with the EU, Brussels was tying up a deal of its own.

The EU has leapt ahead of the UK in the pursuit of free trade deals with Australia and New Zealand after member states gave the green light for talks to start within weeks.

Portugal has said it hopes to resume negotiations on trade and investment between the EU and India at a summit between EU leaders and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Porto on 8 May.

Department for International Trade accused of ‘exaggerations and mistruths’.

The world's biggest such deal, it covers nearly a third of global GDP and 635 million people.

On 18 December, the EU and Kenya signed an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) which will boost trade in goods and create new economic opportunities, with targeted cooperation to enhance Kenya's economic development.

The European Council, representing the EU's 27 member countries, said it adopted the New Zealand pact, setting it up come into force "probably in early 2024" once Wellington ratifies it.