Staging Brexit at the WTO

This issue of Commonwealth Trade Hot Topics highlights some broad WTO-related factors that need to be considered as a post-Brexit UK reinstates the sovereignty of its trade policy. Given that there is uncertainty about almost every possible type of Brexit, including the nature of future trading arrangements between the UK and the EU, and between the UK and non-EU countries, this article does not aim to provide any definitive solutions. In addition, many important issues are likely to be subject to legal interpretations. This paper just sets out a number of developments that are unfolding and that have significant implications related to multilateral trade rules as the UK moves through the stages towards Brexit.