The UK government has opened a call for evidence on deeper trade relationships with Indonesia, the Philippines, the United Arab Emirates, and Uruguay.
The consultation will close on 14 September and is intended to inform British priorities before any formal negotiations begin.
Accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership is regarded as the most likely route for most of the four markets, although the government is also seeking views on bilateral free trade agreements and other policy arrangements.
CPTPP members established an accession working group with Uruguay in 2025, while preparatory discussions with Indonesia, the Philippines, and the UAE began in June 2026. Those discussions do not guarantee that any applicant will ultimately join.
Evidence is being sought on commercial opportunities, barriers, sector priorities, and practical issues affecting trade and investment. Responses can address goods, services, digital activity, customs, regulation, investment, market access, and other conditions that constrain commercial activity.
The four economies present markedly different opportunities. Indonesia is a large and developing market with demand for infrastructure, financial services, technology, healthcare, education, and consumer products, although its scale is accompanied by regulatory, local content, and market entry complexity.
The Philippines combines a large English-speaking population with growing demand for digital services, infrastructure, professional expertise, education, and consumer goods. UK-Philippines trade was valued at £3.2bn in 2025, comprising £1.3bn of British exports and £1.9bn of imports.
British companies already use the UAE as a base for activity across the Gulf, the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia. Its commercial importance extends beyond bilateral trade through finance, logistics, professional services, technology, and investment.
Uruguay is a smaller market, but its stable institutions and position within South America may offer strategic value. Its accession would also extend the partnership’s geographic reach beyond its existing concentration in the Asia-Pacific and Europe.
The initiative follows a more active period in British trade policy. The UK-India agreement has already given exporters a preparation timetable covering tariffs, compliance, pricing, and supply chain arrangements.
Trade agreements can reduce barriers, although their commercial value depends on detailed provisions. A headline tariff reduction may have little effect where rules of origin are difficult to satisfy, customs processes remain slow, standards are not aligned, or companies cannot obtain licences and professional recognition.
Services will be particularly important to the UK. Financial, legal, consulting, engineering, education, creative, and digital organisations frequently encounter restrictions that do not appear at the border.
Barriers may concern establishment, data transfer, foreign ownership, public procurement, recognition of qualifications, or the temporary movement of staff. Unless negotiations address those areas, a services agreement can offer broad commitments without materially changing the ability to operate.
Detailed evidence will carry greater weight than general requests for improved access. A submission that identifies a particular regulation, quantifies its cost, and explains the trade it prevents gives negotiators a clearer basis for seeking change.
Smaller exporters may struggle to participate because consultations require time, local knowledge, and specialist analysis. Trade bodies, chambers, professional associations, and supply chain groups can aggregate evidence where individual companies lack the capacity to prepare a detailed response.
CPTPP accession may also extend cumulative rules of origin across a wider group of markets, allowing inputs from member countries to count towards eligibility for preferential tariffs. That could support supply chains spanning several economies, although the benefit will vary according to product classification and the terms eventually agreed.
Lower barriers would also increase competition within the UK. Improved access for British exporters is usually accompanied by better access for overseas suppliers, requiring companies to examine import exposure alongside new sales opportunities.
Geopolitical considerations will shape each application because the four countries maintain different relationships with China, the United States, the European Union, and regional trading blocs. Existing members make accession decisions collectively, and applicants are expected to accept the partnership’s rules and standards.
Negotiations can take several years and rarely produce identical outcomes across every sector. Sensitive products may receive quotas, exclusions, or transitional periods, while market-specific commitments can alter the value of an agreement substantially.
The call for evidence should not therefore be read as an indication that preferential access is imminent. It does, however, allow companies to influence the mandate before government positions become more firmly established.
Commercial preparation will remain necessary even where an agreement is completed. Market research, local partnerships, intellectual property protection, currency management, finance, logistics, and regulatory compliance will continue to determine whether an exporter can operate profitably.
The government will assess submissions alongside economic and strategic evidence before deciding how to proceed. Different routes may be selected for each market, reflecting its scale, sector mix, political relationships, and existing trade arrangements with the UK.
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