International treaty

UK-India CETA Chapter 28: General Provisions and Exceptions

Text of chapter 28 of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and India.

• From: Department for Business and Trade
• Published: 24 July 2025

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Chapter 28: General Provisions and Exceptions (PDF version)

Unnumbered command paper

PDF, 256 KB, 5 pages

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Details

This chapter allows the UK and India to take various kinds of measures that would not otherwise conform with the commitments made in the agreement, to serve the legitimate public policy objectives set out within the individual exceptions. These flexibilities protect domestic policy space and preserve the UK and India’s rights to regulate in the public interest.

The chapter incorporates the General Exceptions found within the World Trade Organisation’s General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), and a dedicated exception relating to national security.

It also provides policy-making discretion in matters of taxation and macroeconomic management, and a provision recalling the exclusions and exceptions elsewhere in the agreement that are applicable to the National Health Service (NHS).

The agreement is not yet in force. Both the UK and India are required to complete their respective domestic procedures for the agreement to come into effect. Once ratified by both countries, businesses will be able to trade under its terms.

Published 24 July 2025