Policy Watch November
New UK Trade Strategy
The Department for Business and Trade is developing a new UK Trade Strategy which aims to align with the new industrial strategy, enhance economic security and support net zero ambitions. The trade strategy is anticipated for publication in April–May 2025. Key focus areas will include Digital Trade, Trade and Net Zero Climate Technology, Practical Improvements for Businesses, Trade and Development, Supply Chains, Critical Metals and Minerals, and Reflections on Key Trade Relationships. Sustainability will be a core theme, integrated across all chapters and topics. Written submissions of input to the Department must be submitted by 17 January 2025.
Product and Metrology Bill
The Product Regulation and Metrology Bill is a legislative initiative introduced in the UK Parliament aimed at modernizing and consolidating regulations governing the marketing, sale, and measurement of products within the UK. The legislation primarily addresses manufactured, industrial, and electronic goods, with the overarching objectives of strengthening consumer protection, fostering economic growth, and ensuring equitable trading practices across both digital and physical marketplaces. A notable aspect of the bill is the flexibility it grants the UK to determine whether to align with or diverge from evolving EU product safety standards as these are updated. Currently in the early stages of parliamentary review, with deliberations ongoing in the House of Lords, it remains too early to project an exact timeline for the bill’s enactment into law.
