<p>World Trade Organization Rules</p>

Part of 2. 2. Questions to the Counsel General – in the Senedd at 2:21 pm on 14 June 2017.

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Photo of Mick Antoniw Mick Antoniw Labour 2:21, 14 June 2017

Well, obviously tariffs are of massive significance because they directly affect cost—goods crossing borders having tariffs imposed upon them. The other issue, of course, with regard to tariffs is what the level of those tariffs is, and also, particularly under World Trade Organization rules, whether there are quotas that might apply as well. But the point you make is an absolutely proper one, and that is that it is the behind-the-border barriers that are sometimes the biggest issues. That is, the compatibility of being able to trade—issues such as product certification, import licences, customs checks and so on. And of course there are all the other issues that relate to the fact that the EU has its own trade agreements, its own versions of the transatlantic trade and investment partnership with different countries, and may have new ones. Of course, part of the purpose of those is to remove some of these behind-the-border barriers, so it may actually mean that, in actual fact, agreements are being made that, whether we like it or not, we’re not party to, but we will need to comply with them in order to actually trade. So, you’re absolutely right: it is a very significant factor, and one that has to be addressed.