Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds says the UK will not stand by while Argentina applies its law to Falklands business
Jonathan ReynoldsUK Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, in a UK government press release
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the UK would introduce measures under Protection of Trading Interests legislation to protect UK interests and would keep working closely with affected businesses. He said the steps signal that the UK will not stand by while Argentina seeks to apply its domestic legislation to impede legitimate commercial interests in the Falkland Islands.
“We will introduce measures under the Protection of Trading Interests (PTI) legislation to protect UK interests and continue to engage closely with affected businesses. These steps send a clear signal that we will not stand by while Argentina seeks to apply their domestic legislation to impede legitimate commercial interests in the Falkland Islands.”
Official statement
Where this statement fits
Should Argentina sanction UK and Israeli oil companies exploring near the Falkland Islands?
On September 3, 2026, Argentine President Javier Milei announced plans to sanction companies involved in oil exploration near the Falkland Islands, which Argentina calls the Malvinas and has long claimed from Britain. He called the Sea Lion oil project, operated by UK-based Rockhopper Exploration and Israel's Navitas Petroleum, a "concrete and urgent danger." Argentina has since filed a criminal complaint against Navitas Petroleum, begun sanctions proceedings against 60 companies and individuals connected to the project, and a Tierra del Fuego court has ordered the companies to suspend Sea Lion activity pending an environmental review, a step reported as largely symbolic since the project operates under Falkland Islands government licenses. Rockhopper and Navitas say they hold valid licenses with the UK's support and do not expect the measures to affect their activities. UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband called the UK's position on the islands "unwavering." Milei has tied the escalation to a 1976 UN resolution against unilateral action and has also announced funding for a new Argentine naval base in Tierra del Fuego. The dispute is whether Argentina should sanction and seek to block companies exploring for oil near the Falkland Islands.
Source and context
Official statement
About this source
UK government press release published on GOV.UK on October 13, 2026, by the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. It announces planned measures under Protection of Trading Interests legislation to shield UK businesses and individuals from Argentine domestic measures aimed at activity connected with the Falkland Islands, and quotes Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
The UK government announced on October 13 that it was preparing measures under Protection of Trading Interests legislation in response to Argentine domestic measures targeting activity connected with the Falkland Islands. It said the measures would protect UK persons and companies from being compelled to comply with extraterritorial measures.
After the quotation
The government said the measures would target only Argentine extraterritorial measures affecting the Falkland Islands and were not meant to restrict lawful commercial activity by UK companies with Argentina.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Relative to Argentina's sanctions and legal action against companies in the Sea Lion project, Reynolds says Argentina is trying to impede legitimate commerce by applying its domestic law to the Falkland Islands and announces countermeasures. He opposes the measures, so we labeled it Condemned.
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- People and groups discussed
- Javier Milei
More from this case
Read the full caseMilei tells Ibero-American leaders Argentina has opened sanctions proceedings and criminal complaints over Sea Lion
“We activated sanctions proceedings and filed criminal complaints against the companies involved and their executives. Our Government will assert Argentina's rights with all the firmness the law allows. (Translated from Spanish. Original: Activamos procedimientos sancionatorios y presentamos denuncias penales contra las compañías involucradas y sus directivos. Nuestro Gobierno hará valer los derechos argentinos con toda la firmeza que permite la ley.)”Read statement
International law professor Donald Rothwell says Argentina's Sea Lion case "could therefore fall at the first hurdle"
“While Argentina has framed its claim around UNCLOS, the core of the case is the territorial dispute over the islands, referred to as Malvinas by Argentina. ... Argentina's claim could therefore fall at the first hurdle, and Buenos Aires is no doubt aware of this challenge.”Read statement
Liberal Democrat Al Pinkerton calls Milei's use of UNCLOS arbitration "neo-colonialism dressed up as anti-colonialism"
“They spoke for themselves as a self-governing, self-determining, distinct and identifiable people, yet President Milei now seeks to use UNCLOS arbitration to deny the islanders of economic sovereignty and the right to shape their own future. That is neo-colonialism dressed up as anti-colonialism.”Read statement
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- Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds says the UK will not stand by while Argentina applies its law to Falklands business
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The Dispute Index. "Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds says the UK will not stand by while Argentina applies its law to Falklands business". First published: 2026-11-10. Last updated: 2026-11-10. https://disputeindex.com/events/8548-business-secretary-jonathan-reynolds-said-the-uk-would