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United Kingdom

International trade update: UK-South Korea FTA finalised; government response on Windsor Framework; EU CBAM expansion; China’s WTO-alignment regime; TRA biodiesel duties maintained; HMRC customs guidance highlights

Published on: 18 December 2025

Published by a LexisNexis International Trade expert
Legal News
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In this issue:

  • Free trade agreements
  • WTO
  • Trade in goods
  • Customs
  • Daily and weekly news alerts
  • New and updated content
  • International Trade Highlights 2025/2026

International Trade Highlights 2025/2026

Free trade agreements

Department for Business and Trade announces finalised UK-South Korea free trade agreement

On 15 December 2025, the Department for Business and Trade confirmed the UK and South Korea had concluded a free trade deal, forecast to add £400m to UK services exports and safeguard £2bn of UK exports from tariff rises. The pact preserves duty-free access on 98% of tariff lines, aligning with the EU’s terms with South Korea, and widens prospects for UK companies in an import market predicted to expand by 26% by 2035. Updated rules of origin ease duty-free entry and back broader supply chain flexibility for automotive and pharmaceutical industries, while enhancing UK reach into South Korea’s growing financial market, building on £1.1bn in financial and insurance exports in 2024. Further measures introduce smoother customs procedures and cut non-tariff barriers to support smaller firms, which make up over 99% of UK businesses, alongside formal recognition of e-contracts and the use of digital technologies...

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