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Foreign travel advice Indonesia
FCDO advises against all travel to parts of Indonesia.
Foreign travel advice Romania
Warnings and insurance Still current at: 24 April 2024 Updated: 23 April 2024 Latest update: Information related to drug offences and Romanian music festivals (under 'Laws and cultural differences' subheading on the 'Safety and security' page).
Foreign travel advice The Gambia
Warnings and insurance Still current at: 23 April 2024 Updated: 22 April 2024 Latest update: Ferry services between Banjul and Barra have been suspended until further notice; The Islamic Summit of the OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) will be held in Banjul on 4-5 May; road closures and delays at Banjul International Airport ('Safety and security' page).
Foreign travel advice China
Warnings and insurance Still current at: 23 April 2024 Updated: 22 April 2024 Latest update: Updated information on flooding (‘Safety and security’ page).
Guidance Living in South Korea
Information for British citizens moving to or living in South Korea, including guidance on residency, healthcare, driving and more.
Reducing barriers to international free trade
International trade agreements Trade agreements open up new opportunities for the UK’s exporters. They can also ensure access to competitively priced imports from other countries.
Negotiating Trade Agreements
The UK has a shared import/export policy with other European Union (EU) countries. This means EU countries work together to negotiate trade agreements with non-EU countries.
This arrangement is part of the Common Commercial Policy – an agreement where the EU represents all its member states in trade negotiations with non-EU countries.
Types of Trade Agreement
There are two main types of international trade agreement:
- multilateral agreements are negotiated between the 157 members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) - any trade concession applies to all members but with special considerations for poor countries
- bilateral agreements are negotiated between the EU and other individual countries or trading blocs - they include the Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) the EU is negotiating with India, Singapore and Canada
Trade and development
There are several types of trade agreement specially suited for poorer countries. They include:
- Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs): these provide immediate duty and quota free access to EU markets for countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP)
- Generalised System of Preferences (GSP): this grants trade preferences and reductions in tariffs to 176 developing countries and territories
- GSP+ scheme: this grants extra concessions to countries that adopt 27 international conventions on human rights, labour rights and the environment
- Everything but Arms (EBA): this is for the poorest countries in the world - it grants them duty and quota free access to EU markets without asking for concessions in return