Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February to Question 28625 on Rules of Origin, what criteria will be used to determine the benefits, risks and the national interest of joining the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention on Rules of Origin.

Rules of origin are often highly technical and there are many factors that influence how businesses experience using these rules and whether they would benefit from different rules - from the different types of paperwork involved, to the make-up of their supply chains. We are regularly talking to businesses about their experience and how we can remove trade barriers and support growth. There is also a significant interaction with the existing rules we have with the EU and in our FTAs with PEM partners that would require consideration.