Trade policy
BIS, working with the British High Commission in Singapore, have been discussing with their counterparts in the Singaporean Ministry of Trade and Industry how we could create a more strategic economic and business partnership at Government to Government level. For more information please use the related link on the right of this page
Trade White Paper
This Government recognises the importance of trade and investment to delivering long term growth and prosperity in the UK and around the world. On 9 February 2011 the Government published the “Trade and Investment for Growth” White Paper which sets out the UK’s strategy.
Both the White Paper and a summary of the response to the Call for Evidence can be downloaded using the links below.
Trade and Investment for Growth (PDF, 1.0 Mb)
Summary of responses to the Trade White Paper call for evidence (PDF, 134 Kb)
Trade and Investment White Paper: new support for exporters from ECGD
Trade and Investment Analytical Papers
A series of 18 analytical papers have been produced by the joint BIS/DFID Trade Policy Unit to support the Trade and Investment White Paper and inform the “Trade and Investment Challenge”.
The papers will be published from February 2011 and will be available to download using the links below once published.
| Topic No. | Title | Publication Date |
|---|
1. |
Global context: how has world trade and investment developed? What's next? (PDF, 335 Kb) |
February 2011 |
2. |
Economic openness and economic prosperity (PDF, 85 Kb) |
February 2011 |
3. |
UK trade performance over the past years (PDF, 151 Kb) |
February 2011 |
4. |
The UK and the Single Market (PDF, 55 Kb) |
February 2011 |
5. |
Protectionism (PDF, 188 Kb) |
February 2011 |
6. |
Sources of Growth (PDF, 179 Kb) |
February 2011 |
7. |
Trade and regional integration in Africa (PDF, 415 Kb) |
June 2011 |
8. |
Trade Promotion (PDF, 228 Kb) |
April 2011 |
9. |
Food Security |
Forthcoming |
10. |
Trade facilitation: UK Issues (PDF, 354 Kb) |
November 2011 |
11. |
Asia |
Forthcoming |
12. |
Trade Finance |
Forthcoming |
13. |
Bilaterals/plurilaterals - how can we make them better for the world trading system |
Forthcoming |
14. |
Trade and the environment (PDF, 514 Kb) |
January 2012 |
15. |
Investment, including the impact of foreign ownership |
Forthcoming |
16. |
Comparative advantage of the UK |
Forthcoming |
17. |
Regulatory Cooperation (PDF, 194 Kb) |
January 2012 |
18. |
Anti-dumping |
Forthcoming |
The aim of the UK Trade Policy Unit (TPU)
The TPU brings together trade and development policy experts from BIS and the Department for International Development (DFID), its aim is to help bring about global prosperity and security through open and fair markets.
Simply preserving current levels of openness is a significant challenge, given increased pressure to resort to protectionism. Our priorities in the economic crisis, therefore, are to help keep markets open, to help UK business overcome barriers to trade and prepare for the upturn, and to ensure trade continues to contribute to sustainable development and poverty-reduction, consistent with our longer-term trade strategy.
UK business does not operate in a vacuum. In the longer term, the greatest benefits from trade result from the openness of all which is best achieved if all share in the benefits.
The evidence in support of open and fair markets still stands. A 10 percentage point increase in trade openness translates into 4% increase in per capita income. Growth accounts for approximately 80% of poverty reduction which has lifted 500 million people over the poverty line over the past 15 years.
For expert advice and support for UK based companies wishing to grow their business overseas and for international companies wishing to establish or expand their business in the UK please visit the UK Trade & Investment website. For practical advice for companies on International Trade please visit the Business Link website. Both can be accessed via the related links on the right of this page.
