The UK and Canada have signed a bilateral Nuclear Co-operation Agreement (NCA) allowing nuclear energy collaboration to be continued after Brexit.

The move follows the signing of similar NCAs with Australia and the US earlier this year, which together will continue the effect of current arrangements when Euratom regulations cease to apply in the UK.

The deal means the UK now has in place all of the instruments required to ensure continuity of civil nuclear trade with its international partners following the UK’s withdrawal from Euratom.

Parliament plans to ratify the three agreements shortly and the Office for Nuclear Regulation is to continue preparing to ensure it is in a position to deliver the new safeguards regime by the 29th of March 2019 if required.

Business and Industry Minister, Richard Harrington, said: “This latest international agreement will help ensure our civil nuclear trade with Canada can continue seamlessly, providing certainty for our world-leading nuclear sector which provides one-fifth of all our electricity. These preparations have been recognised as gold standard.”