Former cabinet minister Ranil Jayawardena has praised an Appeal Court judgement that confirms that foreign groups can no longer meddle with UK trade negotiations after Brexit.
Mr. Jayawardena is the chairman of Liz Truss’ Conservative Group for Growth, and as a former trade minister, he advocated for UK trade agreements all over the world.
Last month, the court dismissed a challenge by an international NGO, The Western Sahara Campaign (WSCUK), to the Association Agreement between Morocco and the United Kingdom, which has increased commerce between the two nations by 50% since 2021.
The challenge was made in response to a separatist attempt to break away from Morocco, and the verdict effectively confirmed the integrity of the north African boundaries.
However, it was vital to note that it confirmed that trade deals are between two sovereign states and cannot be tampered with by international agencies following Brexit.
The verdict has given firms the green light to continue trading; trade between the UK and Morocco has already surged by 50% since 2021.
Morocco and the United Kingdom signed an Association Agreement on October 26, 2019, in London, and it has been in effect since January 1, 2021, when Brexit took effect.
Since the agreement was struck, trade between the two nations has risen gradually, with trade in goods and services peaking at £3.1 billion in the year until the last three months of 2022, an increase of £1 billion (50%) over the same time the previous year.