On 15 May 2019, the Federal Council announced that it had opened consultation proceedings on the trade agreement with the United Kingdom and on an additional agreement extending the provisions of the trade agreement to the Principality of Liechtenstein. The agreements are intended to ensure to a large extent the continuation of existing trade relations after the UK’s departure from the European Union. The consultation will end on 5 September. The Federal Council will submit a dispatch on the agreements to Parliament in the autumn.