Clifford Chance

What does the Singapore FTA decision mean for the EU'S FTAs and Brexit?

19 May 2017

On 16 May 2017 the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that the EU could not conclude the proposed Free Trade Agreement with Singapore alone, but that it would also have to be ratified by the EU's member states in order for it to come into force.

This long-awaited ruling will shape the EU's trade policy for years to come, and sets a precedent for future trade negotiations between the EU and third countries, including any free trade agreement that the UK may look to conclude with the EU once it has left.

This briefing summarises the opinion of the CJEU, and asks what it means for the EU's trade policy, and whether it is good or bad news for the UK.

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