Policy paper

Memorandum of Understanding on trade co-operation, innovation and clean energy between the Washington State and the United Kingdom

Published 26 September 2023

This was published under the 2022 to 2024 Sunak Conservative government

This Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) is made by and between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (“the United Kingdom”) and Washington State in the United States of America (“Washington State”), (collectively, the “Participants” and each a “Participant”).

WHEREAS, the United Kingdom and Washington State 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 Washington State;

WHEREAS, the Participants aspire to accelerate and secure the significant social and economic benefits that innovation, clean growth, protecting the environment against air, water, chemical, and waste pollution, and addressing biodiversity loss deliver in building a greener and more resilient planet;

WHEREAS, the Participants support the goals of the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, recognise the urgency of addressing global climate change and aim to strengthen bilateral co-operation to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by mid-century, if not sooner, by decarbonising their economies, promoting sustainable growth, facilitating trade and investment in environmental goods and services, and building skilled and modern workforces;

WHEREAS, the Participants recognise that research, technology, entrepreneurship and innovation, when balanced with economic, environmental and social considerations, are fundamental to economic growth and prosperity and that to succeed in the global innovation economy there is a need to strengthen their respective abilities to accelerate the commercialisation of innovations to accelerate growth of domestic firms, and recognise the mutually enabling relationship between innovation and trade;

THEREFORE, the Participants, in the spirit of promoting closer relationships and mutual prosperity, 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, the United Kingdom and Washington State intend to:

1. Increase trade between the United Kingdom and Washington State through deepening economic development co-operation and trade relations.
2. Create a forum to identify and address existing or anticipated barriers to trade, investment and economic co-operation and development.
3. Foster innovation, strengthen business links, encourage the creation of decent work and support educational and skills opportunities necessary in critical industries in both the United Kingdom and Washington State, and in all interactions uphold the values of inclusive trade and inclusive growth.
4. Improve supply chain resilience through increased co-operation.
5. grow academic and research ties through promoting collaborative projects, research and information exchange.
6. Support global decarbonisation and the pathway to net zero, including through meeting domestic commitments to the phase out of unabated coal power by no later than 2030 as participants in the Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA), as well as ensuring a just transition for workers and communities traditionally reliant on fossil fuel economies.

Section 2: priority areas for focus and co-operation

1. In furtherance of the principle of mutual benefit, the Participants intend to prioritise the following areas for focus and co-operation (the “Priority Areas”) which include but are not limited to:

   a. clean energy and low emissions technology, including the development and efforts to drive down the cost of clean and reliable solutions to address climate change. With a particular focus on; hydrogen, wind power and other marine renewable forms of energy; zero emission transport; nature-based solutions

   b. aerospace, including building & developing aerospace networks and working relationships

   c. clusters and workforce development, utilising innovation networks to develop new high-growth, high-value industries. With a particular focus on innovation clusters which leverage the Participants’ mutual assets such as research excellence and commercialisation expertise as well as mutual areas of interest, including clean technology, maritime innovation and advanced manufacturing

   d. life sciences, including health-tech

   e. digital, including recognising the importance of digital technologies as a contributor to economic growth and quality of life, building a secure, open and trustworthy digital online environment, and developing cyber and digital skills, innovation and talent

   f. supply chain resilience, including ports and manufacturing

   g. agriculture including opportunities to explore collaboration in the field of sustainable agriculture, and agricultural technology, biotechnology, and innovation to improve farm management and productivity in a manner supportive of high animal health and welfare, and a reduced spread of antimicrobial resistance

   h. innovation, as it occurs in the above priority areas

2. In addition, the Participants:

   a. reaffirm their existing obligations under the revised World Trade Organization Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO GPA) and intend to explore opportunities to open access to markets covered in the WTO GPA and encourage private company participation in mutually acceptable government procurement markets of the United Kingdom and Washington. The Participants will maintain an open dialogue regarding current and future procurement trade related initiatives and developments

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

Section 3: activities and initiatives

To achieve the objectives described in Section 1 of this MOU, the Participants may carry out the following activities and initiatives:

1. Best Practice Exchange - share information and best practices in areas such as policy and programme design and implementation, capacity-building, and development of expertise to foster growth, inclusive trade, and innovation across all sectors.
2. Government and Trade Missions - conduct virtual and in-person missions with the Participants’ respective government officials to deepen coordination on policy and market development and identify opportunities for or barriers to further collaboration and trade.
3. Private-Sector Partnership Development - facilitate introductions and partnerships among private sector companies through meetings, worker exchange programmes, and regional arrangements, with a particular focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and women-owned businesses.
4. Academic and Research Community Cooperation - connect researchers, students, and thought leaders for information sharing, collaborations, and other types of co-operation, whilst simultaneously ensuring that any collaboration should conform to proportionate standards of research security and integrity.
5. Joint Projects and Events - collaborate on joint events such as symposia, seminars, workshops, exhibitions, and trainings.
6. Institutional and Corporate Investment - facilitate introductions and explore opportunities for public and private sector institutions to deploy development capital, whether directly or via third party funds, in areas including but not limited to; real estate and regeneration, energy and infrastructure, and clean energy technology; emerging technology; life sciences.

Section 4: implementation

1. In addition to the activities and initiatives set out in Section 3 of this MOU, 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, and in all interactions aim to uphold values of inclusive trade and inclusive growth.

2. The Participants will hold regular MOU implementation meetings either virtually or in person, to coordinate the implementation of the MOU.

3. Focus of implementation may include, but is not limited to:

   a. identifying and, where appropriate, addressing barriers to trade and investment

   b. considering matters relating to the interaction between innovation and trade, such as regulatory approaches that facilitate innovation and cooperation to identify and respond to potential and future disruptions to trade caused by innovation in goods and services

   c. exchanging best practice and information relevant to the Priority Areas outlined in Section 2 of this MOU

   d. facilitating, where appropriate, participation of stakeholders in the private sector and academic community to discuss matters pertinent to the MOU

   e. annually reviewing the operation of the MOU to ensure it is continuously up-to-date and relevant for the growing United Kingdom-Washington State relationship

   f. carrying out any other mutually acceptable forms of co-operation that contribute to the goals of this MOU including facilitating introductions for relevant public and private sector institutions to explore investment opportunities

4. The United Kingdom may also raise issues of opportunity and mutual interest relating to territories for whose international relations the United Kingdom is responsible, where appropriate, namely the Bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey, and the Isle of Man and the Overseas Territories.

5. The Participants designate the following coordinating authorities to oversee all interactions related to this MOU and its implementation:

   a. For Washington State: the Washington State Department of Commerce as the coordinating authority for all state agency interactions related to this MOU.

   b. For the United Kingdom: the Department for Business and Trade and the British Consulate General in San Francisco and the United Kingdom Government Office in Seattle.

Section 5: third party participation

1. The Participants acknowledge that individuals and entities from the private, public, academic, research, and other sectors may be invited to participate in the co-operative activities and initiatives described herein, provided that such individuals and/or entities can directly and meaningfully contribute to the achievements of the objectives of the MOU.

2. Subject to each Participant’s absolute discretion, this third party participation in the activities and initiatives under this MOU may include, but is not limited to, the involvement of research institutions, economic development organisations, non-governmental and advisory bodies, regional or local levels of government, private enterprise, trade associations, and/or public-private partnerships.

Section 6: information sharing and confidentiality

The Participants recognise that to facilitate the objectives of this MOU, information may pass between them. The Participants accept that all public records generated or exchanged pursuant to this MOU will be public, consistent with Participants’ respective domestic laws.

Section 7: intellectual property

1. The Participants acknowledge that any intellectual property brought by one Participant for the implementation of this MOU will remain the property of that Participant.

2. 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 8: funding

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

Section 9: 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 10: entry into operation amendment and termination

1. This MOU will come into operation on the date of the later of the Participants’ signatures and will continue to have effect for a period of 5 years unless terminated or renewed.

2. The Participants may amend this MOU at any time upon their mutual written consent.

3. Either Participant may terminate this MOU by providing 45 days’ written notice of its withdrawal to the other Participant.

Section 11: status of this MOU

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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 Washington State in the United States of America upon the matters referred to therein.

This MOU is signed on 25 September 2023 in Seattle by:

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Jay Inslee
Governor
For Washington State

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Nusrat Ghani MP

Minister for Industry and Economic Security

For the United Kingdom of Great Britain

And Northern Ireland