Trade Policy Advisory Group meeting: 19 November 2025

• Chair: Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning.

Attendees included representatives from the following organisations:

• ACCA Cymru
• Chambers Wales
• FairTrade Wales
• Food and Drinks Board Wales
• Make UK
• MediWales
• NFU Cymru
• Public Health Wales
• RDP Law
• Unite the Union
• Welsh Automotive Forum

The Cabinet Secretary welcomed members and emphasised the importance of the Trade Policy Advisory Group to provide evidence-based responses from businesses directly impacted by these developments when advocating for Wales with the UK government.

Members of the Welsh Government’s Trade Policy team provided an overview of the work to date regarding the UK government’s free trade agreements. It was highlighted that the Welsh Government is engaging with the UK government and inputting into discussions on international trade policy and trade negotiations.

The group discussed and provided opinions on the following matters:

• The UK government’s trade negotiations with several countries, including the GCC, Switzerland, Turkey, and South Korea and the progress being made with each negotiation.
• The UK-EU Common Understanding and the Welsh Government’s engagement with UK government during its preparations for the start of negotiations with the EU.
• The US’s tariffs and ongoing discussions for the implementation of the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal and its impacts on Wales.

Members of the Trade Policy Advisory Group provided their views on an early draft of the Welsh Government perspective document covering the UK-India Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which was signed on 24 July 2025. The final agreement includes 30 chapters covering a wide range of areas.

Mercosur (short for Mercado Común del Sur, or Southern Common Market) is a regional trade bloc in South America established in 1991 to promote free trade and the fluid movement of goods, people, and currency among member states.

Mercosur members include Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia.

The purpose of this discussion was to gather early views from members of the Trade Policy Advisory Group on the potential opportunities and risks of a free trade agreement between the UK and Mercosur.

• Concerns were raised about potential beef quotas and the subsequent impact on Welsh beef prices and its adverse impact on Welsh farmers.
• Concerns were raised about the potential environmental impacts especially the deforestation of the Amazon.
• Concerns raised about the potential that Welsh exporters will be disadvantaged once the EU-Mercosur agreement is ratified.
• Potential opportunities for some sectors in Wales for increased exports.

The Cabinet Secretary thanked all the members for attending and reiterated that it’s vital to have these discussions directly with members to understand their views to help shape the Welsh Government’s trade policy positions.