Korea Free Trade Agreement comes into force today
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01 July 2011 - BIS
British exporters keen on
investing in the Far East will be given the opportunity to grow their
business on Asian soil when the EU / Korea Free Trade Agreement comes
into force today.
This landmark deal is the
first of its kind between the EU and an Asian market. It will reduce
tariffs on 97% of all goods and services and is expected to result in
£16 billion worth of savings across the EU.
Prime Minister David
Cameron said:
"This landmark EU-Korea
Free Trade Agreement marks a significant development in the UK’s
bilateral relationship with Korea and represents a huge opportunity to
increase trade between our two countries, to the benefit of business,
consumers and economic growth.
“Korea has been one of
Asia’s fastest growing economies in recent years but British companies
have faced challenges to enter the market in the past. This Agreement,
which is the most comprehensive FTA the EU has ever negotiated,
dismantles those barriers and gives British business, large and small,
an enormous opportunity to boost exports. I hope they will rise to the
challenge.
“Having attracted some
£2.25 billion of Korean investment in 2010 - more than double that of
any other European country – I hope that this agreement will result in
even more Korean businesses choosing the UK as a platform to grow their
business. It's essential that we get the message out that Britain is
open for business.”
Ambassador of the Republic
of Korea, Choo Kyu Ho, said:
“The Korea-EU FTA will
present both countries with a number of significant opportunities for
trade and development. Currently, the UK is Korea’s number one
investment destination in Europe. By lowering tariffs, harmonizing
regulatory rules, and enhancing IPR (Intellectual Property Right)
protection, the FTA will create further export opportunities for the
entrepreneurs, service providers, investors and farmers of the UK.
“Korea’s competitiveness –
when coupled with the UK’s capabilities – can generate significant
benefits for both our economies and expand the market for both the UK
and Korea. The FTA is expected to bring a minimum of £500 million of
benefits a year to British businesses alone, with a total of 19.1
billion Euros a year for the EU.”
Business Secretary Vince
Cable said:
“During my recent visit to
Korea, I was very encouraged to meet many British firms who are already
successfully exporting to and investing in this market.
“Korea is set to make the
tenth largest contribution to world growth over the next five years,
and will become one of the most attractive export destinations
globally. British companies that are serious about growing their
business internationally should seize the opportunities that have been
created by the Free Trade Agreement, as there has never been a better
time to engage with the Korean market.”
Korea
Fact file:
- (South) Korea is Asia’s 4th largest economy and the 12th
largest in the world.
- Bilateral trade with the UK is worth around £10bn per year.
- The UK was the number three destination for Korean overseas
investment in 2010, and the number one inward investment destination in
Europe.
- The EU-Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA), due to come into
force on 1 July 2011, is expected to be worth £16 billion to European
exporters.
- The UK attracted around £2.25 billion of Korean Investment
in 2010: more than double that of any other European country.
- More than 200 Korean companies are already doing business
in the UK. The largest investors include Doosan, Korea National Oil
Company, Samsung and LG Electronics.
- Samsung, the world’s largest electronics company, has a
turnover greater than that of Apple, Google and Microsoft put together.
- Korea has the highest level of broadband penetration
(speeds of one hundred megabytes) and 3G mobile usage in the world (an
area where it has a global lead in technology).
- There are 15 Korean
companies listed on the London Stock Exchange.
About the Author
© Crown Copyright. Material taken from the BIS Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. Reproduced under the terms and conditions of the Click-Use Licence.
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Article Published/Sorted/Amended on Scopulus 2011-07-03 13:07:55 in Business Articles
