Brexit and Mexico
Mexico has had its well -publicised internal problems but is a country of huge importance for all sorts of reasons to the UK and the West.
It is relevant, therefore, to examine the present state of trade and investment relations between the two countries.
According to a factsheet dated 2nd February 2026 published by the UK ‘s Department for Business & Trade (“DBT”), total trade in goods and services ( exports plus imports) between the UK and Mexico was £6.7 billion in the four quarters to the end of Q3 ( Quarter 3) 2025, a decrease of 2.0% or £136 million in current prices from the four quarters to the end of Q3 2024.Of this £6.7 billion:
- Total UK exports to Mexico amounted to £3.6 billion in the four quarters to the end of Q3 2025 ( a decrease of 7.8% or £306 million in current prices, compared to the four quarters to the end of Q3 2024);and
- Total UK imports from Mexico amounted to £3.1 billion in the four quarters to the end of Q3 2025 ( an increase of 5.8% or £170 million in current prices, compared to the four quarters to the end of Q3 2024).
The DBT factsheet showed that Mexico was the UK’s 39th largest trading partner in the four quarters to the end of Q3 2025, accounting for 0.4% of total UK trade.
The factsheet also showed that, at the end of 2024, the stock of foreign direct investment (“FDI”) from the UK in Mexico was £20.3 billion , 60.9% or £7.7 billion higher than at the end of 2023, and that at the end of 2024, Mexico accounted for 1.1% of the total UK outward FDI stock.
The factsheet showed in addition that, at the end of 2024, the stock of FDI from Mexico in the UK was £208 million ( though a comparison with the previous year is not available due to data disclosure).
These statistics show a mixed picture for the development of UK-Mexico trade and investment and there clearly seems to be room for expansion!
Brexit and the Amended European Climate Law
On 5th March 2026, the Council of the European Union announced in a press release that the Council had formally adopted the amended European climate law, introducing a binding intermediate target, for 2040, of a 90% reduction in net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to 1990 levels. According to the press release, “this new target strengthens the EU’s path towards achieving climate neutrality by 2050 across all sectors of the economy,”.
The press release went on to explain that “from 2036 onwards, high- quality international credits may be used up to a limit of 5% of 1990 EU net emissions to make an adequate contribution towards the 2040 target in a way that is both ambitious and cost-efficient. This means that at least 85% of emissions reductions must be achieved within the EU. Credits must be based on credible activities of GHG reduction in partner countries, in line with the Paris agreement”.
The press release stated that the amended law would come into force 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal of the EU and would apply directly in all EU countries and would be subject to review every two years.
A brave and somewhat courageous step, one may feel, given all the present instability in the World!
Brexit and the Exhibition on Islamic Art at the British Museum
The British Museum has a permanent exhibition on Islamic Art ( housed in its Albukhary Foundation Gallery of the Islamic World) which has glorious examples of Islamic calligraphy dating back to the medieval period.
On 8th March 2026, it also had a special exhibition of ongoing duration on art associated with the mystical Sufi tradition in Islam , a tradition with parallels in mystical traditions in other Abrahamic religions such as Kabbalah in Judaism and Gnosticism in Christianity
The Sufi art ( as well as the Islamic art generally) is amazing and the ability of the British Museum to pull together such exhibitions illustrates the importance of the British Museum in the art world.
Brexit was a political act and care must be taken to ensure that the UK’s special position as a location for art of world significance is not diminished!
Brexit and the Proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement
On 9th March 2026, the UK Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) issued a Call for Information relating to the proposed UK-EU SPS Agreement that the UK Government was negotiating with the EU, in which it said that this Agreement, together with the Windsor Framework, would “ make it easier, cheaper and more predictable for goods to move not just between the UK and the EU, but also within the UK itself, including smoother movements from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.”.
In its Call for Information, Defra wrote that the practical benefits for businesses and consumers to be derived from the proposed SPS Agreement would be that :-
- “Businesses will save money”;
- “Trade will flow faster”; and
- “New markets will be unlocked”.
Defra explained that the reason for the Call for Information, which was due to run until 23rd April 2026 with a view to the proposed SPS Agreement coming into effect in mid- 2027, was to hear from interested stakeholders about the impact upon them of the proposed Agreement and to understand how best the Government could support everyone to get ready for the proposed Agreement.
Changing times!
Disclaimer: This article contains general commentary only and should not be relied upon as legal advice.
