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The UK's decision to leave the EU means that, for the first time in 40 years, trade policy will return to UK government competence. In the two-year period in which Brexit negotiations take place, the UK government and public attention will inevitably be focused on negotiations with the EU. However, with the UK government's ability to negotiate its own trade deals comes a huge opportunity to achieve a truly progressive trade agenda for Southern countries.

Investment protection provisions - known as 'corporate courts' - are contained in Bilateral Investment Treaties and Free Trade Agreements, both of which are binding agreements between two or more countries. These agreements often contain an Investor-to-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanism which allows investors to sue governments in international tribunals if they believe a policyundermines the profitability of their investment.

This briefing is published by War on Want, alongside the Trade Justice Movement, Global Justice Now, Unison, and Friends of the Earth.

Modern trade and investment deals cover almost every aspect of everyday life: from healthcare to environmental and labour standards, and international development. This makes them everybody's business. The UK's arrangements for public and parliamentary engagement with and scrutiny of trade are woefully inadequate and need to be reformed before Brexit takes place.

This briefing is published by War on Want, alongside the Trade Justice Movement, Global Justice Now, Unison, and Friends of the Earth.

Eritrea is one of the most repressive states in the world: no elections since 1993; a crackdown on press freedom; forced labour; arbitrary arrest and detention without trial; indefinite compulsory