Representatives from businesses and interest groups including the
CBI, Scottish Chamber of Commerce, and the Trade Unions Congress,
will meet with the Secretary of State for International Trade,
MP, today (Thursday 6 June) to
discuss the UK’s future trade strategy.
Meeting for the first time, the UK’s Strategic Trade Advisory
Group will regularly convene to advise the government on the UK’s
new independent trade policy as we leave the EU.
This includes advising on new trade agreements with the USA,
Australia and New Zealand, as well as potentially joining the
Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership.
The group is comprised of 16 representatives from business, trade
union and civil society organisations that cover a wide range of
interests from all parts of the UK. It will meet at least four
times a year and membership will be reviewed on a yearly
basis.
This is part of the government’s commitment to an inclusive and
transparent trade policy that works for all regions and nations
of the UK.
Dr Fox will open today’s meeting. The group is chaired
by , Minister for Trade
Policy at the Department for International Trade (DIT) and
will nominate a co-chair from the membership in due course.
Speaking ahead of the meeting, Dr Fox said:
“British businesses create jobs through exports and investment
across the UK, so it’s crucial that any future trade deals work
for them. That’s why I’m delighted that a range of business and
civil society groups will be advising on a new independent trade
policy that works for people across the whole of the UK.
“As we leave the European Union, we have a golden opportunity to
forge closer trading partnerships and negotiating ambitious trade
agreements with the USA, Australia and New Zealand is a top
priority.”
At today’s meeting the group discussed market access and the
department’s strategy for engaging with stakeholders on trade
policy.
The next meeting with take place in the autumn.
Notes to editors
The Strategic Trade Advisory Group was established in April 2019
following a public expression of
interest by government in July 2018. The expression of
interest set out the selection procedure and selection criteria
against which applications would be assessed including, evidence
of relevant experience and expertise.
The group will meet as required but approximately
quarterly. DIT will make available the dates and times
of the meetings.
Members have been selected to provide a breadth of knowledge and
experience across trade policy. Members will serve in a personal
capacity to advance the interests of the United Kingdom and will
not represent the interests of any specific organisation.
Membership for the period 2019 to 2020 are:
- Rt Hon
, Minister for Trade
Policy, (chair)
- Professor Holger
Breinlich, University of Surrey, (academia)
- Carolyn
Fairbairn, Confederation of British Industry, (business
representative organisation)
- Gary Campkin,
City UK, (services, business representative organisation)
- Dr Scott
Steedman CBE, British Standards Institution, (standards)
- Caroline
Normand, Which?, (consumer)
- Dr Dirk Willem
te Velde, Overseas Development Institute, (developmental)
- Mark Abrams,
Trade Finance Global, (new entrant)
- Michael Gidney,
Fair Trade Foundation, (non-government organisations)
- Nick Coburn CBE,
Ulster Carpets, (Northern Ireland business)
- Denise Valin
Alvarez, Burberry, (regional business)
- Liz Cameron OBE,
Scottish Chamber of Commerce, (Scottish business)
- Sean Ramsden,
Ramsden International, (small and medium enterprise)
- Mike Cherry OBE,
Federation of Small Business, (small and medium enterprise,
business representative organisation)
- Sam Lowe, Centre
for European Reform, (think tanks)
- Paul Nowak,
Trade Union Congress, (trade unions)
- Prys Morgan,
Kepak Group Limited, (Welsh business)
The group’s purpose is to:
- Advise
on the adequacy and effectiveness of Government mechanisms for
stakeholder engagement
- Advise
on the practical implementation of trade agreements and measures
-
Perspectives on the Government’s discharge of its commitment to
transparency and inclusivity in trade policy
-
Suggestions to inform the Government’s trade priorities
-
Suggestions to assist the development and delivery of UK trade
policy including market access measures.
