A Brief Overview of the UK Trade Strategy

The UK Government has launched a new Trade Strategy, the first comprehensive plan of its kind since leaving the EU. The Strategy sets out how the UK aims to boost international trade, support high-growth sectors, and strengthen resilience against global disruptions. It comes at a time when geopolitical uncertainty and rising protectionism are creating new challenges for UK businesses.

The Strategy outlines a series of measures to support export growth, strengthen trade defence, and deliver more agile and practical trade agreements. For the tech sector, the focus on services, digital trade, and regulatory cooperation is particularly relevant.

techUK welcomes the launch of this trade strategy as a landmark moment. For the first time, we have a coherent, long-term plan that reflects the realities of current geopolitics and the UK’s unique strengths - particularly in services and high-growth, innovation-driven sectors like ours. It’s especially encouraging to see government pulling together the full suite of tools at its disposal - from digital trade agreements to commercial diplomacy and meaningful trade defence instruments. We look forward to working closely with government to turn this vision into impact and ensure the UK remains a leader in the global digital economy.

Julian David OBE

CEO, techUK

Key elements of the Strategy that may benefit UK tech businesses include:

A new Ricardo Fund to unlock £5 billion in export opportunities by addressing regulatory barriers.

An increase in UK Export Finance (UKEF) capacity from £60 billion to £80 billion, including tools targeted at smaller exporters.

Reforms to strengthen UK trade defence mechanisms to respond more quickly to unfair practices and global shocks.

A renewed emphasis on digital trade, mutual recognition of qualifications, and services-focused agreementswith key markets.

The publication reflects many of the priorities techUK has highlighted in recent months. In our January 2025 report, Enabling Growth and Resilience: The UK Tech Sector in an Uncertain World, we recommended measures to improve trade resilience, strengthen regulatory cooperation, and expand the UK’s leadership on digital and emerging technology trade. It is positive to see several of these recommendations reflected in the government’s new strategy.

We will continue engaging with government to ensure the Strategy delivers practical benefits for tech companies of all sizes and supports the sector’s ability to grow, innovate, and compete globally.

A full analysis of the Trade Strategy and what it means for the UK tech sector will be published by techUK in the coming days.

For more information, please contact:

Sabina Ciofu

Associate Director – International, techUK

Sabina Ciofu is Associate Director – International, running the International Policy and Trade Programme at techUK.

Based in Brussels, she leads our EU policy and engagement. She is also our lead on international trade policy, with a focus on digital trade chapter in FTAs, regulatory cooperation as well as broader engagement with the G7, G20, WTO and OECD.

As a transatlanticist at heart, Sabina is a GMF Marshall Memorial fellow and issue-lead on the EU-US Trade and Technology Council, within DigitalEurope.

Previously, she worked as Policy Advisor to a Member of the European Parliament for almost a decade, where she specialised in tech regulation, international trade and EU-US relations.

Sabina loves building communities and bringing people together. She is the founder of the Gentlewomen’s Club and co-organiser of the Young Professionals in Digital Policy. Previously, as a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community, she led several youth civic engagement and gender equality projects.

She sits on the Advisory Board of the University College London European Institute, Café Transatlantique, a network of women in transatlantic technology policy and The Nine, Brussels’ first members-only club designed for women.

Sabina holds an MA in War Studies from King’s College London and a BA in Classics from the University of Cambridge.

Email:: sabina.ciofu@techuk.org
Phone:: +32 473 323 280
Website:: www.techuk.org

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techUK International Policy and Trade Programme activities

techUK supports members with their international trade plans and aspirations. We help members to understand market opportunities, tackle market access barriers, and build partnerships in their target market. Visit the programme page here.