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Trade diplomats had agreed in principle in November to allow the UK to continue to access the £1.3 trillion a year market in government procurement contracts post-Brexit, but the move is still an important step for the UK. The UK will remain a member under EU schedules until December 2020 if it agrees a Withdrawal Agreement with the bloc.
In return, overseas firms will be able to bid for £67 billion worth of public sector contracts in the UK.
The 47 countries who are members of the GPA include the 27 remaining EU member states as well as the likes of the United States, Canada and Japan.
“Today’s decision underlines our determination to minimise any disruption, however we leave the European Union,” said Britain’s Ambassador to the WTO, Julian Braithwaite. [...]