International Agreements Committee
21 April 2026
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International Agreements Committee House of Lords
00:02 - 02:52
Speaker 1
Well, welcome everyone to this witness session of the International Agreements Committee where we're looking at trade in a turbulent world and the trade mechanisms that we can use in order to create economic growth in The UK. We're very aware in in this country, I'm sure everyone is in this house, of how the world has changed over the last year or so, particularly with the issues over tariffs, over the issues surrounding the World Trade Organization, and other concomitant issues. Also, the evolution of The UK economy from one heavily dependent on goods to one heavily dependent upon services. And the questions we would like to ask our three witnesses really revolve around what can the UK government do in order to enhance our trade abilities around the world, given the changes we've seen in the international system, given the changes we've seen in how our economy has evolved, and clearly given the immediate challenges that the friction and volatility in terms of world trade that's been created by various other countries presented to us in the way they are. So if I may have the privilege of introducing our three witnesses today, Sam Lowe, a partner from Flint Global, who's joining us in person.
Doctor Mona Paulson, who's assistant professor of law at the LSC Law School, who's very kindly joining us in person as well. And online, we have professor Holger Hestermeyer, professor of international and EU law, the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna. And thank you all of you for joining us. This is a really important inquiry, and I I couldn't personally be more grateful. And I think I speak for the whole committee when I say that we're we're grateful to you for giving us this time today, and we are really looking to get some answers to these questions.
Given the fact that I'm here and talking, I might as well ask the first question. I think we may have given you a list of questions that we're gonna ask. That's really just to help you think about the issues, but we'd be delighted if you strayed off those and gave us answers that you thought were were more useful. Clearly, my colleagues will ask questions and supplementaries, which expand from that. Given the mechanics of how three witnesses operate in a scenario such as this, we might not ask every each one of you to comment on every question, but do say if you would like to specifically comment.
And professor Hestermeier, online, if you just put your hand up so I can see you here, if there's something you particularly like to chime in on. Otherwise, we we can end up going over time, but please do say if you would like to answer a question. My first question is a slightly broad question, which really is of the trade agreements that The UK has signed with third countries since we left the EU, which which do you view as particularly effective or well utilized and put also by which sectors? So since since Brexit, what trade agreements you think we've done have been most effective in terms of promoting our trade around the world? And that could be a free trade agreement.
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