The major news is that Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on 22 June that he would be resigning as both leader of the Labour Party and Prime Minister. Nominations for a new Labour leader will open on 9 July and close for MPs on 15 July. If Andy Burnham is the only candidate, he will be confirmed as PM on 17 July, but if not there will be a leadership contest over the summer and a new PM installed in September ahead of party conference.
Naturally, this has thrown a lot in the air. For a start, the UK-EU Summit planned for July has been postponed until the new PM is in place. Secondly, there is no certainty over what direction the next PM’s government will take on a range of policy areas.
However, work by Politico’s Morning Trade Newsletter suggests a possible Burnham premiership would largely continue the current course of UK trade policy. Burnham’s positive comments about EU alignment suggest he will continue the push toward greater EU alignment initiated by Starmer.
Burnham though may see a greater focus on devolved governments promoting international trade for companies in their regions. Burnham has done this himself with delegations to several American states as Mayor of Greater Manchester, while Sadiq Khan was out in Singapore and Japan promoting London on the week commencing 15 June, where he discussed AI with fellow Mayors AI Forum member Yuriko Koike, the Governor of Tokyo.
techUK will be monitoring what Burnham and any other potential leadership candidates may mean for the UK’s trade policy as they make their views public.
Brent crude has reached a lower price following the deal between the US and Iran that reopened the Strait. Beyond oil, the opening of the waterway is also good for supplies of helium, which is a key part of semiconductor production.
The Strait’s status remains uncertain however as long term negotiations between the US and Iran continue. The UK and France meanwhile are working to ensure freedom of navigation for the Strait.
Chinese commerce minister to visit the UK
The UK will host Wang Wentao, the Chinese commerce minister, for the Joint Economic and Trade Commission dialogue between the UK and Chinese governments.
The visit comes amidst tension between China and the EU on a range of things, from the EU’s digital sovereignty proposals to the end of de minimis and disputes over steel.
Politico reports the focus will be on easing and growing trade in services, with the UK continuing its policy of co-operation where possible and challenging where necessary.
EU Parliament votes on EU-US Trade Deal
On 16 June, the European Parliament voted by 440 votes to 151, with 50 abstentions, to support the EU Commission’s trade deal with the United States. This came despite last minute wrangling over the deal and the threat of American tariffs on France to force a repeal of their Digital Services Tax.
The agreement eliminates tariffs on a wide range of US good in exchange for a 15% US tariff to apply broadly to European goods. The deal was approved by MPs with two changes, namely the inclusion of a ‘sunset clause’ will mean that the deal will expire on 31 December 2029, unless renewed, and second is for ‘clear conditions’ for tariff reductions on products on steel and aluminium.
European member states now need to approve the deal before the 4 July deadline for the EU to support the agreement.
Other agreements entering into force
Thanks to a meeting between Keir Starmer and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the fringe of the G7 Conference in Evian, the UK and India now have a commencement date for the FTA between the two countries to enter into force. The UK-India FTA will enter into force on 15 July.
techUK supports the FTA as a landmark diplomatic success, but we urge the Government to continue to develop the deal further and to build on the foundations offered in order to make it truly transformational for UK tech businesses.
Meanwhile, the 22nd of June saw the entry into force of CPTPP terms between the UK and Mexico. Mexico has become the latest country to ratify the terms of UK entry to the CPTPP, following the visit of the Mexican trade minister to London earlier this year.
Export of frontier AI models banned by the US
On 12 June, the US Department of Commerce placed an effective bar on exports of Fable 5 and Mythos 5 to customer outside the United States. The measure keeps Anthropic’s most advanced AI models available out of the hands of non-Americans, including non-Americans in the United States employed by Anthropic.
The EU Commission and Anthropic have both protested the ban, which may become a de facto licensing regime for frontier AI in the USA and shows the power of the US Government’s ‘kill switch’ in digital technologies.
The decision was not mentioned the G7 Summit in Evian, where a working lunch of G7 leaders and AI executives focused on collaboration to create an AI governance framework that would maximise growth while addressing any risks to build trust.
UK begins DTA negotiations with Malaysia
Not content with implementing existing trade deals, the UK Government has decided to go after some more. The UK and Malaysia launched negotiations on 22 June aimed at creating a full digital trade agreement. The deal will likely look at securing data flows and providing data protection guarantees to ease digital services trade between the two countries.
UK bringing forward the end of de minimis
De minimis died in August last year in the USA, will be abolished in July 2026 in the EU, and now the UK has oved its own date 6 months forward to October 2028. The reforms are designed to close a customs loophole allowing some businesses to use small package deliveries to circumvent customs duties on imports.
New UK Trade Commissioner to Africa
Alastair Long has been appointed His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Africa, following a stint of service in Bahrain as ambassador from August 2023. Long has experience of the role before, serving as Deputy and then Acting Trade Commissioner for Africa between 2019 and 2022. He replaces John Humphrey.
The UK signs critical minerals deal with Ontario
It was announced that Ontario’s Minister of Energy and Mines, Stephen Lecce signed a Statement of Intent with Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Industry Chris McDonald to build secure critical mineral supply chains. This is part of the UK’s attempt to diversify supply chains but we will see how this statement of intent can be transformed into reality.
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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.
Senior Policy Manager for International Policy and Trade, techUK
Daniel Clarke
Senior Policy Manager for International Policy and Trade, techUK
Dan joined techUK as a Policy Manager for International Policy and Trade in March 2023.
Before techUK, Dan worked for data and consulting company GlobalData as an analyst of tech and geopolitics. He has also worked in public affairs, political polling, and has written freelance for the New Statesman and Investment Monitor.
Dan has a degree in MSc International Public Policy from University College London, and a BA Geography degree from the University of Sussex.
Outside of work, Dan is a big fan of football, cooking, going to see live music, and reading about international affairs.
Theo joined techUK in 2024 as EU Policy Manager. Based in Brussels, he works on our EU policy and engagement.
Theo is an experienced policy adviser who has helped connect EU and non-EU decision makers.
Prior to techUK, Theo worked at the EU delegation to Australia, the Israeli trade mission to the EU, and the City of London Corporation’s Brussels office. In his role, Theo ensures that techUK members are well-informed about EU policy, its origins, and its implications, while also facilitating valuable input to Brussels-based decision-makers.
Theo holds and LLM in International and European law, and an MA in European Studies, both from the University of Amsterdam.
Archie Breare joined techUK in September 2022 as the Telecoms Programme intern, and moved into the Policy and Public Affairs team in February 2023.
Before starting at techUK, Archie was a student at the University of Cambridge, completing an undergraduate degree in History and a master's degree in Modern British History.
In his spare time, he likes to read, discuss current affairs, and to try and persuade himself to cycle more.
Tess joined techUK as an Policy and Public Affairs Team Assistant in November of 2024. In this role, she supports areas such as administration, member communications and media content.
Before joining the Team, she gained experience working as an Intern in both campaign support for MPs and Councilors during the 2024 Local and General Election, and working for the Casimir Pulaski Foundation on defence and international secuirty. She has worked for multiple charities, on issues such as the climate crisis, educational inequality and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). In 2023, Tess obtained her Bachelors of Arts in Politics and International Relations from the University of Nottingham.
Archie Breare joined techUK in September 2022 as the Telecoms Programme intern, and moved into the Policy and Public Affairs team in February 2023.
Before starting at techUK, Archie was a student at the University of Cambridge, completing an undergraduate degree in History and a master's degree in Modern British History.
In his spare time, he likes to read, discuss current affairs, and to try and persuade himself to cycle more.
