A cross-party group of MPs have set up an inquiry into powerful new bodies set up to manage the UK-EU trade deal.
The Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) bodies, including the Partnership Council and Specialised Committees, are talk shops designed to iron out wrinkles in the deal that might arise as the UK pursues its own independent trading future.
They will consider important parts of the deal such as road haulage, air travel and fishing rights. Some of these bodies have the power to change the detail of the deal itself which would potentially impact on businesses and consumers across the UK.
The inquiry will effectively map out the structures and powers of these bodies, assess their impact on UK law and Parliamentary sovereignty and evaluate their transparency.
MPs are calling for businesses that will be impacted by decisions made in the TCA bodies to tell the Committee of their concerns and experiences, to date, of trying to engage with the Government on its plans for their functioning.
European Scrutiny Committee Chairman Sir William Cash said,
“Up to now, we have little idea how these bodies created by the trade deal operate behind the scenes. Given the impact of the decisions they can make, it is critical that the UK Government has the right tools to influence them effectively. Tensions are high and solutions to outstanding issues, particularly on Northern Ireland, need to be delicately managed and directly play into the UK’s new trading relationship with the EU. For example, it is clear that the EU takes a different view on the interpretation and application of the Northern Ireland Protocol. A better understanding of the approaches of the UK Government, the EU, and the thoughts of affected stakeholders, would allow all concerned to make the most of our clean break from the EU and the opportunities that it offers.”
If you are likely to be affected by the decisions of the bodies created by the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, or have experience trying to have your voice heard on the issues covered by them, then the Committee wants to hear from you.
The full scope of the enquiry can be viewed on the UK Parliament website.
Please send your submissions addressing any of the issues to ESCOM@parliament.uk before 31 July 2021.