Policy Statement by the Minister for External Relations in accordance with Standing Order 117(17A)

Senator Ian Gorst – Minister for External Relations Statement of Proposed Policies, June 2018

As Minister for External Relations, I will seek to protect and promote Jersey's interests, be they economic, cultural or constitutional, through the maintenance and development of our relationship with the United Kingdom, and our strong international profile and reputation. In doing this, I will pursue the following policy objectives:

1. Brexit

1. Preserve Jersey's constitutional, domestic and fiscal autonomy throughout the Brexit negotiations and transitional period, and beyond;
2. Preserve free trade with the United Kingdom and external trade based on tariffs in common with the United Kingdom;
3. Ensure continued travel to the United Kingdom as part of the CTA;
4. Ensure the Island has access to the EU goods market on terms no less favourable than the United Kingdom under the Future Economic Partnership with the EU;
5. Ensure the Island has access to EU markets for financial services through equivalence, mutual recognition or third country' regimes, and that regulatory burdens are not increased;
6. Bring forward the necessary legislation to ensure the uninterrupted functioning of Jersey law through withdrawal, the implementation period and final exit; and
7. Ensure that Jersey will still control access to its housing and labour markets in light of changes to UK immigration legislation as a result of Brexit.
8. Ensure that necessary work is undertaken within Government to engage with, and to prepare, all Island industries that may be affected by Brexit including financial services, agriculture and fisheries, retail, digital and hospitality.

2. Global Markets

1. Provide political direction to the implementation of the Global Markets Strategy to ensure that Jersey has enhanced influence, credibility, visibility and access in priority Global Markets;
2. Ensure that Jersey has the right agreements and international relationships to benefit from global opportunities, including strengthened relationships with non-EU markets;
3. Develop Jersey's treaty instruments and progress international agreements with priority markets that will lead to increased business flows to, and from, high-potential growth markets;
4. Develop  broad-based  Memoranda  of  Understanding  with  priority  Global Markets partners across a range of sectors including agriculture, heritage, digital, conservation, culture and education.

3. Engagement with the United Kingdom

1. Protect the integrity and continuity of Jersey's established constitutional relationship with the British Crown, ensuring that matters of domestic autonomy remain the responsibility of the States Assembly and are not subject to UK legislative measures without consent;
2. Strengthen and deepen engagement with the United Kingdom Government at Ministerial level to ensure an enhanced understanding of Jersey's interests, constitutional position and international identity as established under the 2007 Framework Agreement;
3. Pursue increased UK Parliamentary engagement across both Houses to increase understanding of Jersey's constitutional autonomy, financial services industry and robust regulatory regime;
4. Secure an entrustment to enter into Bilateral Investment Treaties that will underpin the work of the Island's Global Markets Strategy.

4. European engagement

1. Oversee effective implementation of the Island's EU Engagement Strategy, ensuring continued development of strong and sustainable bilateral relationships between Jersey and the EU 27 Member States;
2. Lead enhanced engagement with EU institutions (the Council, the Commission and the European Parliament) through the work of the Channel Islands Brussels Office;
3. Meet the written political commitments made to the EU Code of Conduct Group on Business Taxation by the end of 2018 to ensure that the EU concludes that Jersey is fully compliant ("white listed") when the EU tax "blacklist" is reviewed in January 2019;
4. Ensure continuation of Jersey's status as a jurisdiction deemed "adequate" by the EU for data protection purposes;
5. Pursue enhanced partnerships with regional French bodies, in political, cultural and educational matters, through the work of the Bureau des Îles Anglo- Normandes.

5. International Standards

1. Ensure Jersey's continued commitment to upholding international standards, including those set by the OECD, including membership of the BEPS Inclusive Framework;
2. Maintain Jersey's leading position as a jurisdiction committed to tax transparency and the fight against financial crime and tax evasion, including as a responsible partner in asset recovery;
3. Bring forward new sanctions legislation, in response to Brexit, to enable the Island to implement UN, EU, and UK sanctions.