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WQ.382/2019
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR EXTERNAL RELATIONS
BY DEPUTY K.F. MOREL OF ST. LAWRENCE
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 24th SEPTEMBER 2019
Question
Will the Minister advise the Assembly of the consequences of having the U.K.'s membership of the World Trade Organisation extended to Jersey?
Answer
As I set out in the Brexit Report to the Assembly in July, territorial extension of the UK's WTO membership to Jersey has been a longstanding objective of the Government of Jersey.
Being part of the WTO can bring a number of benefits, including enhanced market access, access to forms of dispute resolution and assisting in furthering Jersey's global outreach.
Crucially, it may also help protect Jersey's economy in the event of a no deal' Brexit, as it will ensure that Jersey will be protected by WTO rules and will be able to access the most favoured nation tariffs available to all WTO members.
The Government of Jersey has been seeking extension on the basis that Jersey is in compliance with the obligations in the WTO Agreements, and would not therefore envisage any immediate consequences for the Island. As with any treaty extension, issues may arise that will need to be managed and negotiated. However, the objectives of the WTO are broadly compatible with Jersey's international trading position in that the WTO is based on the presumption that trade is generally economically beneficial, and, as such, the Organisation sets and enforces rules for international trade, provides a forum for negotiating and monitoring further trade liberalisation, and resolves trade disputes.
Ministers and officials have been actively working with the UK Government on WTO extension to Jersey, and we hope to see progress on this matter soon.