UK-EU Trade to Fall Back on Other Arrangements If Post-Brexit Deal Fails

UK Minister of State for Exiting the European Union David Jones stated that in case if the British government fails in securing a post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union, London will have to fall back on other international trade arrangements.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The United Kingdom will resort to other international trade arrangements in case the country's government fails in securing a post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union, UK Minister of State for Exiting the European Union David Jones said Thursday.

"We do not expect that we will not achieve such an agreement, but the prime minister has already made clear that if we cannot come to an agreement, then, clearly, we will have to fall back on other arrangements," Jones said in the House of Commons.

UK-EU trade would be regulated by the World Trade Organization (WTO) rules if no bilateral trade deal is in place once the United Kingdom leaves the bloc.

The United Kingdom joined the WTO as an EU member in 1995. Following the 2016 Brexit vote, WTO spokesman Keith Rockwell said the unfolding situation was unprecedented and the organization had no ready procedure for handling the United Kingdom's withdrawal from Europe while remaining a WTO member. According to WTO rules, the United Kingdom cannot renegotiate its trade rules with other members until Brexit is complete.