18 Sep 2025
by Sabina Ciofu

Global Tech and Trade Policy Update


Hello from this year’s WTO Public Forum in Geneva, where the largest business delegation I have ever seen is in town to advocate for the rules-based international system. Nothing like a threat to what you took for granted to drive up panic and action, is it? 

Trump’s State Visit and a Flurry of Tech Investment 

President Donald Trump’s second state visit to Britain this week coincided with major announcements from U.S. tech companies, who unveiled £31 billion in new investments in the UK. 

Highlights include: 

  • Stargate UK – OpenAI, Nscale and Nvidia will roll out a U.K. version of the massive AI infrastructure scheme. The first data centres will be built in Northumberland on the site of a former coal power station, creating an “AI Growth Zone” with links to Newcastle University and 5,000 new jobs. 
  • Nvidia GPUs – Up to 120,000 chips will be shipped to British data centres, half of them to Nscale’s project with Microsoft in Essex, where 23,000 GPUs will power Britain’s largest AI supercomputer. 
  • Microsoft – £22 billion over four years, half for AI infrastructure and half for operations including AI model development and gaming. 
  • Google – Opened a new data centre in Hertfordshire and pledged £5 billion investment over the next two years. 
  • CoreWeave – £1.5 billion for renewable-powered data centres in Scotland. 
  • Scale AI – £39 million for London HQ expansion, quadrupling staff. 
  • BlackRock – £500 million for UK data centres. 
  • Oracle – Reaffirmed a $5 billion commitment. 

All this sets the stage for Thursday’s Technology Prosperity Deal between the U.S. and UK, covering AI, quantum, space and nuclear energy. 

WTO Public Forum: Spotlight on Digital Trade and AI 

Geneva this week has been buzzing with discussions on digital trade, AI and the future of the rules-based system. 

  • Members and business groups are pushing for a continuation - or permanentisation  - of the e-commerce moratorium at the next WTO Ministerial in Cameroon. 
  • Creative thinking is also emerging around how to implement the Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) on e-commerce within WTO rules, with an eye toward making progress despite broader multilateral challenges. 
WTO World Trade Report: AI as Double-Edged Sword 

The WTO’s annual World Trade Report puts AI center stage this year, projecting that the technology could boost global trade in goods and services by nearly 40% by 2040 - but also deepen divides. 

Key findings: 

  • Trade growth: AI could add 34–37% to trade and 12–13% to GDP globally by 2040, with biggest gains in digitally-deliverable services. 
  • Distributional impacts: High-income countries see a 14% income boost vs. 8% in low-income countries, unless digital infrastructure gaps close. 
  • Labour effects: Wage gaps between high- and low-skilled workers may narrow, but displacement risks loom, especially in service-exporting lower-income economies. 
  • Business adoption: 90% of firms using AI report tangible trade benefits. 
  • AI-enabling goods: Global trade in semiconductors, inputs and raw materials hit $2.3 trillion in 2023. 

The report suggests WTO members explore updates to the General Agreement on Trade in Services and expansion of the Information Technology Agreement. 

A New Alliance of Small and Medium-Sized Countries 

Against the backdrop of global trade turmoil, 14 small and medium-sized countries launched the Future of Investment and Trade Partnership this week. 

Members include Brunei, Chile, Costa Rica, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Morocco, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Rwanda, Singapore, Switzerland, the UAE and Uruguay. 

The group’s founding declaration emphasizes open and fair trade and adherence to the rules-based system.  


For more information on any of the above, please contact:

Sabina Ciofu

Sabina Ciofu

International Policy and Strategy Lead, techUK

Sabina Ciofu is International Policy and Strategy Lead at techUK, where she heads the International Policy and Trade Programme. Based in Brussels, she shapes global tech policy, digital trade, and regulatory cooperation across the EU, US, Canada, Asia-Pacific, and the Gulf region. She drives strategy, advocacy, and market opportunities for UK tech companies worldwide, ensuring their voice is heard in international policy debates.

With nearly a decade of previous experience as a Policy Advisor in the European Parliament, Sabina brings deep expertise in tech regulation, trade policy, and EU–US relations. Her work focuses on navigating and influencing the global digital economy to deliver real impact for members.

A passionate community-builder, Sabina co-founded Young Professionals in Digital Policy (800+ members) and now runs Old Professionals in Digital Policy (more experience, better wine, earlier nights). She is also the founder of the Gentlewomen’s Club, a network of 500+ women supporting each other with kindness.

She holds advisory roles with the UCL European Institute, Café Transatlantique (a network of women in transatlantic tech policy), and The Nine, Brussels’ first members-only club for women.

Recognised by ComputerWeekly as one of the most influential women in UK tech, Sabina is also a sought-after public speaker on tech, trade and diversity.

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

She is a frequent traveler and a marathon runner.

Email:
[email protected]
Phone:
+32 473 323 280
Website:
www.techuk.org

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Meet the team 

Daniel Clarke

Daniel Clarke

Senior Policy Manager for International Policy and Trade, techUK

Sabina Ciofu

Sabina Ciofu

International Policy and Strategy Lead, techUK

Theophile Maiziere

Theophile Maiziere

Policy Manager - EU, techUK

Lewis Walmesley-Browne

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Tess Newton

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Authors

Sabina Ciofu

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.

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