Extension of Call for Evidence

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Trade Out of Poverty (APPG-TOP) is undertaking an inquiry into the UK’s Africa Free Trade Initiative (AFTi), which was launched by the Prime Minister five years ago.

AFTi focused on providing political, financial and technical support to cut tariffs, reduce red tape and improve infrastructure in Africa, with the aim to boost trade between African countries and African countries with the world.

We are now extending the Inquiry to incorporate the potential implications for UK-Africa trade relations from the UK leaving the European Union (Brexit). This follows the UK’s referendum on 23 June 2016, on whether the UK should leave or remain in the EU. With 72% turnout, the ‘leave’ vote won by 52% to 48%.

Specifically, a second Inquiry Hearing will be held in Parliament on Tuesday 12th July from 10:30 to 12:30. In addition, the timeline for submission of Written Evidence has now been extended to 31st July 2016. The Inquiry Committee will then seek to present and publish its Final Report in September 2016, when a new UK Prime Minister and ministerial team will be in post.

The Inquiry Committee is interested to take written evidence and hear different views on the implications of Brexit for UK-Africa trade relations. There will be challenges and opportunities, some of which are obvious, but many more are unknown and have yet to be explored. The following questions are being used to guide the Inquiry’s taking of evidence in relation to Brexit:

• Trade policies: How would the existing trade arrangements (both non-reciprocal trade preference arrangements and reciprocal trade preference arrangements such as the Economic Partnership Agreements) between the UK and African countries look immediately after Brexit? What steps would need to be taken by the UK Government to ensure Africa’s exports to the UK were not interrupted upon the UK’s withdrawal from the EU? What are the potential risks and opportunities for UK-Africa trade relations arising from Brexit?

• Aid-for-trade: Should the UK’s aid-for-trade programmes evolve to reflect the new trading relationships between the UK and African countries post-Brexit? Does Brexit potentially open up new channels through which the UK can use trade and investment as a vehicle to reduce poverty in Africa?

• Inclusive trade: Are there specific potential implications from Brexit for small-scale traders and farmers in Africa? If so, are there ways for the UK government to ensure that post-Brexit trade policies would be pro-poor and equitable for men and women in Africa?

» View the guidelines for submission of written evidence here.