Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if she will make her policy to maintain the protections granted in the 2018 Economic Partnership Agreement in relation to Scotch Whisky exports to Japan.

The UK and Japanese governments started negotiating a UK-Japan Free Trade Agreement on 9 June. The Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) will be used as the basis?and may be enhanced?in areas of?mutual?interest.

Regarding the protection of the Scotch Whisky Geographical Indication (GI) in Japan, the UK’s published negotiating objectives for trade negotiations with Japan state that “the UK will secure protections for UK GIs”. The UK Government recognises the high value of GIs to both the communities that produce them and as illustrations of the wide range of quality British products enjoyed around the world.

Regarding tariffs, UK exporters will continue to be able to export Whisky to Japan duty free as Japan applies no tariffs to their Whisky imports regardless of which country the imports come from.