International trade agreements – maintaining trade arrangements with other countries
The EU trade agreements that the UK participated in solely through its membership of the EU no longer apply to the UK following the end of the transition period. The Government has sought to ensure continuity in the effects of these trade and investment relationships as far as possible by working to replicate predecessor EU agreements.
	The Trade Act provides the Government and the devolved authorities with the power to make the changes to domestic legislation that are necessary to ensure that these agreements can be fully implemented. This implementation power can only be used to implement international trade agreements with countries with which the EU already had signed trade agreements by 31 January 2020. The power cannot be used to implement a free trade agreement with the USA or China.