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Central America–United Kingdom Association Agreement

Central America–United Kingdom Association Agreement
Agreement Establishing an Association between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Central America
  Central America
  United Kingdom
TypeFree Trade Agreement and Economic Integration Agreement
ContextTrade Continuity Agreement between Central America and the United Kingdom
Signed18 July 2019
LocationManagua, Nicaragua
Effective1 January 2021
Negotiators
Parties
Languages

The Central America–United Kingdom Association Agreement is a free trade agreement between Central America and the United Kingdom. The agreement is a Trade Continuity Agreement that governs trade and broader cooperation between Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, and the United Kingdom following the UK's withdrawal from the European Union.[1]

Negotiations for this agreement were driven by the need to replace the arrangements previously covered by the Central America–European Union Association Agreement, which ceased to apply to the UK after Brexit. The new agreement closely replicates the effects of the Central America-EU deal, preserving preferential trade conditions and establishing a free trade area for goods, while also providing a platform for further trade liberalization and cooperation in areas such as investment, intellectual property, and public procurement. The text of the trade part of the agreement is largely based on the provisions of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, adapted to the specifics of the Central America–UK relationship.[2]

History

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From 1 August 2013 until 30 December 2020, trade between Central America and the UK was governed by the Central America–European Union Association Agreement, while the United Kingdom was a member of the European Union.[3][4]

Following the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, the Central American states and the UK signed the Central America–UK Association Agreement on 18 July 2019. The Association Agreement is a continuity trade agreement, based on the EU free trade agreement, which entered into force on 20 May 2021.[1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Foreign and Commonwealth Office (18 July 2019). "UK and Central America sign continuity agreement". GOV.UK (Press release). Archived from the original on 18 July 2019. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  2. ^ Cotton, Barney (19 July 2019). "UK and Central America sign continuity agreement". Business Leader. Archived from the original on 9 August 2022. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  3. ^ "Agreement establishing an Association between the European Union and its Member States, on the one hand, and Central America on the other". Council of the European Union. Archived from the original on 3 July 2025. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
  4. ^ "EU - Central America". World Trade Organization. Archived from the original on 20 June 2025. Retrieved 3 July 2025.