Policy paper

Memorandum of Understanding on economic cooperation and trade relations between the US state of Oklahoma and the United Kingdom

Published 19 April 2023

This was published under the 2022 to 2024 Sunak Conservative government

This Memorandum of Understanding (hereinafter referred to as “MOU”) is made between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (“the United Kingdom”) and the State of Oklahoma in the United States of America (“Oklahoma”) (the United Kingdom and Oklahoma each a “Participant” and collectively the “Participants”).

WHEREAS, Oklahoma and the United Kingdom maintain strong historic, cultural and commercial links;

WHEREAS, the Participants recognise the overall importance of the economic relationship between the United States of America and the Participants, and the relationship between the United Kingdom and Oklahoma;

WHEREAS, the United Kingdom and Oklahoma have a long history of being leaders in the energy sector and providing leadership on global energy innovations that have shaped our world’s economies and protected our democracies. The Participants further recognise the importance of energy security, energy equity, and the need to reduce global emissions;

WHEREAS, the Participants aspire to accelerate and secure the significant benefits that can be realised through innovation, growth and decarbonisation, and the development of clean, affordable, reliable and responsible energy to meet the world’s growing demand for energy;

WHEREAS, in 2019 the United Kingdom became the first major economy in the world to put a binding target to reach net zero emissions by 2050 in legislation, and led global efforts to tackle climate change through its Presidency of COP26;

WHEREAS, Oklahoma has been a leader in the United States of America with its all-of-the-above energy approach, resulting in the decarbonisation of its power sector by more than twice the United States averages since 2005. Oklahoma has made, and will continue to make it a priority to lower its carbon trajectory by utilising all technology and innovations to advance clean energy, cleaner solutions for all energy sources, global carbon management, and reduction of harmful emissions and by-products;

WHEREAS the United Kingdom and Oklahoma recognise the many opportunities and benefits of co-operation and exchange in the areas of Commerce, Culture, and research; and

THEREFORE, the Participants, in the spirit of promoting closer relationships, intend to further support and work co-operatively within the boundaries of existing laws and treaties in their respective jurisdictions on goals and issues as set forth below.

Section 1 - Objectives

Through this MOU, Oklahoma and the United Kingdom intend to:

i) Increase trade between the United Kingdom and Oklahoma through deepening economic development co-operation and trade relations to strengthen businesses and create decent jobs in both Oklahoma and the United Kingdom.

ii) Create a forum to find solutions to existing and anticipated barriers economic cooperation and development.

iii) Grow academic and research ties through promoting collaborative projects, research, information exchange and the sharing of best practice and expertise regarding innovation, with a particular focus on certain priority sectors as set out in this MOU.

iv) Accelerate the development of secure, clean, affordable, and responsible energy solutions that support global decarbonisation while powering the world’s growing energy demands.

v) Encourage and enable the utilisation of lower carbon intensity power sources while reducing harmful emissions and waste streams.

vi) Collaborate on efforts to drive down the costs of the technologies needed to lower emissions.

Section 2 - Priority areas for co-operation

The Participants intend to prioritise the following areas for focus and co-operation (the “Priority Areas”) which include, but are not limited to:

i) Energy transition, including hydrogen, and carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS).

ii) Zero-emissions vehicles and negative carbon technologies such as Direct Air Capture (DAC).

iii) Agriculture, including food and fibre (including crops such as cotton and industrial hemp used for agricultural purposes) production.

In addition to co-operating on the Priority Areas listed above, the Participants further:

a) Reaffirm their existing obligations under the Revised World Trade Organization Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO GPA) and intend to explore opportunities to increase participation by private companies in the procurement markets of the United Kingdom and Oklahoma; and

b) Intend to consider and, as appropriate, pursue solutions to specific market access barriers. This may include through supporting regulators and professional bodies interested in pursuing recognition arrangements on professional qualifications.

Section 3 – Implementation

To oversee and implement this MOU, Oklahoma designates the Oklahoma Department of Commerce as the co-ordinating authority for all state agency interactions related to this MOU, and the United Kingdom designates the Department for Business and Trade of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as the co-ordinating authority for its interactions related to this MOU (the “Co-ordinating Authorities”).

The Co-ordinating Authorities will also be tasked with identifying the appropriate participants for the implementation of this MOU, including the United Kingdom-Oklahoma Trade and Economic Promotion Board and any other working group.

The UK-Oklahoma Trade and Economic Promotion Board

The implementation of this MOU will be led by a ‘United Kingdom-Oklahoma Trade and Economic Promotion Board’ (“the Board”). The Participants intend that the Board will meet annually in Oklahoma, the United Kingdom or virtually. The inaugural meeting will take place in Oklahoma within 6 months of the signing of this MOU.

The Board will focus on the Priority Areas and within those sectors will endeavour to promote dialogue and trade in these sectors to the mutual benefit of both Participants through:

i) Identifying opportunities for building partnerships between companies within the jurisdiction of each Participant;

ii) Considering initiatives aimed at facilitating trade between the Participants;

iii) Promoting research information exchange opportunities;

iv) Exploring opportunities for public and private sector institutions to invest capital in sectors including but not limited to energy transition; and

v) Sharing expertise and best practice on establishing resilient and forward-looking regulatory frameworks, considerate of innovation and disruptive technologies.

The Board will exchange relevant economic data relating to United Kingdom-Oklahoma trade to monitor the development of the economic relationship.

The Participants will, on a regular basis, inform and consult with one another on matters of common interest that represent opportunities for mutual benefit and are consistent with this MOU. Where appropriate, the United Kingdom may also raise issues of opportunity and mutual interest relating to territories for whose international relations the United Kingdom is responsible, namely the Bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey, the Isle of Man, and the Overseas Territories.

Trade promotion activities

As part of each annual meeting, including the inaugural meeting, the British Consulate-General, Houston and the State of Oklahoma will develop a social media campaign to promote the tourism and commercial opportunities in Oklahoma.

The Participants intend to organise trade missions, hosted in either the United Kingdom or Oklahoma, informed by the work of the Board.

The British Consulate in Houston will provide a representative to speak (whether virtually or in person) at Oklahoma’s annual International Trade Summit.

Third party collaboration

Third parties may attend meetings of the Board (in person or virtually) at the joint invitation of the Participants to this MOU. Attendance of any third parties will be jointly decided by the Participants in advance of any meeting. Any third party participation will be subject to the Information Sharing and Confidentiality provisions in this MOU.

Section 4 – Information sharing and confidentiality

The Participants recognise that to facilitate the objectives of this MOU, information may pass between them. The sharing of information under this MOU is subject to the following provisions: 

i) The Participants may only use the information for purposes which further the objectives of this MOU.

ii) The Participants may only disclose any part of the information to a third party if the Participant wishing to disclose the information seeks and obtains prior written consent from the other Participant, except in circumstances described below in subparagraph iii.

iii) In circumstances where either Participant is legally obliged to disclose any information related to this MOU under applicable legislation, by court order (or for another reason) it will inform the other Participant before doing so.

Section 5 – Intellectual property

Any intellectual property brought by one Participant for the implementation of this MOU will remain the property of that Participant.

In the event that any intellectual property rights should arise from activity undertaken in accordance with this MOU, the Participants understand it will be attributed and protected in accordance with the Participants’ respective state and national laws, and it will be subject to separate and specific arrangements concluded between the Participants in relation to the specific activity.

Section 6 – Funding

The Participants understand that this MOU does not commit either Participant to financially support any activity carried out under its provisions.

Section 7 – Interpretation and application of this MOU

The Participants are committed to acting in good faith. Any disagreements between the Participants about the interpretation or application of this MOU will only be settled by consultation and negotiation between the Participants and not referred to any third party, court, or tribunal.

Section 8 - Entry into operation amendment and termination

This MOU will come into operation on the date of the later of the Participants’ signatures and will continue to have effect until it is terminated or renewed.

The Participants may amend or terminate this agreement at any time upon their mutual written consent.

Section 9 – Status of this MOU

This MOU is not legally binding under state, national or international law and does not create any legal obligation to undertake or to financially support any activity.

The Participants confirm that all actions they undertake under this MOU will be subject as appropriate to national, state, and international law, and any other applicable rules and obligations.

This MOU does not affect the rights of and obligations of third parties or the rights of the Participants to conclude arrangements or agreements with respect to any matter described in this MOU.

The foregoing record represents the understandings reached between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the State of Oklahoma in the United States of America upon the matters referred to therein.

This MOU is signed on 18 April 2023 at The British Embassy, Washington DC by:

Kevin Stitt

Governor

For the State of Oklahoma

Nigel Huddleston MP

Minister of State

For the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland