Guidance

Trade Bill factsheet: UK trade legislation

The Trade Bill will provide continuity for individuals, businesses, and international trading partners.

• From: Department for International Trade
• Published: 7 November 2017
• Last updated: 7 December 2018 — See all updates

This was published under the 2016 to 2019 May Conservative government

This publication was withdrawn on 20 March 2020

This page has been withdrawn because it’s out of date.

You can read about the Trade Bill at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/trade-bill.

Documents

Trade Bill factsheet: UK trade legislation

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Details

The Trade Bill will work together with the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 to put in place legal powers which are necessary in order to operate a fully functioning trade policy and set the groundwork to becoming an independent global trading nation.

The Trade Bill focuses on providing continuity for businesses and consumers. It will:

• create powers so the UK can transition trade agreements that exist between the EU and other countries, and which we are party to while a member of the EU
• enable the UK to have continued access to £1.3 trillion worth of government contracts and procurement opportunities in 47 countries – by creating the powers needed for the UK to implement the Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) as an independent member instead of as part of the EU
• establish a new independent UK body, the Trade Remedies Authority, to defend UK businesses against unfair trade practices
• ensure the UK government has the legal abilities for gathering and sharing trade information, as evidence to support UK businesses against surges in imports and unfair practices

Further tax-related elements of the UK’s trade policy have been legislated for in the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018, as part of the creation of a new UK tariff regime.

Relevant links to the Bill

The Trade Bill is published in full on the Parliamentary website

The Trade White Paper establishes the principles that will guide future UK trade policy as well as laying out the practical steps that will support those aims.

Published 7 November 2017
Last updated 7 December 2018 + show all updates

1. 7 December 2018

   Changed attachment into html.

2. 6 December 2018

   This fact sheet has been updated to reflect the fact that the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 received Royal Assent on 13 September 2018.

3. 7 November 2017

   First published.