Department for Business and Trade Call for Evidence on a Trade Strategy

Summary

Which? welcomes the government’s commitment to develop a trade strategy. It is crucial that there is a clear vision and underlying principles established for how the UK will approach trade policy and ensure that it delivers for people across the UK. A joined up approach with clear cross-governmental objectives will ensure that trade supports national policy priorities, including the government’s missions.

Although the request for comments is primarily asking about how trade can better support businesses, it is important that consumer interests are also central to the government’s trade strategy and trade policy needs to be developed in an inclusive, fair and transparent way. The success of future trade policy and trade agreements will be judged on what they achieve for people in their everyday lives - not only the export and investment opportunities they provide. 

We have therefore set out six key themes that we think need to be addressed within the strategy and the government’s approach going forward: 

• the trade strategy should be underpinned by effective public engagement to reflect people’s priorities and attitudes to potential trade-offs
• governance structures should enable effective, transparent consultation that includes consumer interests
• the trade strategy should uphold and build on UK standards and protections
• the government should recognise the importance of upholding and promoting consumer interests in trade deals and secure cross-cutting consumer chapters
• regulatory cooperation and coordination should be enhanced through the trade strategy
• the strategy should address the growth of consumers’ direct involvement in cross-border trade.