Maldives, UK begin free trade deal talks
Maldives is one of the few countries in the Commonwealth which the UK is not already pursuing an FTA with.
United Kingdom on Thursday launched an eight-week call for input in preparation to negotiate a goods-only Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the Maldives, inviting business, organisations and individuals to help shape the UK’s negotiating aims.
In a statement, the UK's Department for Business and Trade said the Maldives is one of the few countries in the Commonwealth which the UK is not already pursuing an FTA with or does not already have preferential access to the UK market.
The public consultation will also help to identify trade barriers which pose an obstacle to UK businesses attempting to export their goods to Maldives, the department added.
The call for input will run until 11:45pm on 2 August and is available on gov.uk.
