Where will the UK Trade Policy Forum be held?

The forum will take place in London, GBR.

When does the UK Trade Policy Forum start?

The forum is scheduled to commence in late February.

What is the primary focus of this event?

The event focuses on the evolving landscape of global trade and the GBR's trade policy, convening discussions on contemporary challenges and opportunities.

UK Trade Policy Forum 2026

Name: UK Trade Policy Forum 2026
Start: 2026-02-24 00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-02-24 00:00:00+00:00
Location: London

Feb 24, 2026London, United KingdomIn-person

Registration open

The UK Trade Policy Forum convenes in London, GBR, to address the evolving landscape of global trade. This gathering serves as a critical platform for discussions on the future direction of trade policy, particularly as it pertains to the United Kingdom's role in the international economic system. Participants will engage with contemporary challenges and opportunities in trade, reflecting on both domestic priorities and international commitments.

Committees & topics

Topics
UK Trade Policy After Brexit · The Global Economy in a Fragmenting Order · Macroeconomic Policy in the Post-Inflation Era · International Finance and Capital Flows · Public Opinion and the Politics of Trade · Trade Deficits and Global Imbalances · Trade Policy Uncertainty · Foreign Policy and the Geoeconomic Toolkit

Why it matters

This forum is significant because it brings together key stakeholders to shape the GBR's trade agenda. In an era of dynamic geopolitical shifts and economic uncertainties, the decisions and discussions at this event will have tangible implications for businesses, consumers, and the GBR's standing on the global stage. The outcomes of such discussions often inform policy adjustments that can impact trade relations with major partners like the USA, DEU, FRA, and CHN.

The forum's focus on trade policy is particularly relevant given ongoing global economic realignments. As nations like IND and JPN continue to assert their economic influence, and as trade blocs evolve, understanding and adapting to these changes is paramount. The event provides a crucial opportunity to analyze these trends and strategize for future trade engagements, ensuring the GBR remains competitive and resilient in the international marketplace.

How to prepare

To effectively engage with the discussions at the UK Trade Policy Forum, participants should undertake thorough preparation. This includes a deep understanding of current GBR trade agreements and ongoing negotiations. Familiarity with the trade policies of key partners and competitors, such as CAN, AUS, and CHE, will also be beneficial. Analyzing recent trade data and economic forecasts will provide a solid foundation for contributing to policy debates.

Delegates should consider employing a 'dynamic-analysis' approach to anticipate potential shifts in trade policy and their broader economic impacts. Understanding the various 'hidden-stakeholders' in trade negotiations, beyond the obvious governmental bodies, is also crucial. This includes industry associations, labor unions, and consumer groups, whose perspectives often influence policy outcomes. Developing robust 'engagement-strategies' will enable participants to effectively advocate for their interests and contribute constructively to the forum's objectives.

Country perspectives

Where the most-relevant 5 countries stand on the core issues in play. Click through for the full country profile.

United Kingdom

Actively seeking to redefine its global trade relationships and secure new agreements post-Brexit, while navigating complex geopolitical and economic shifts.

Role in topic

As the host nation, GBR is central to the forum, driving discussions on its independent trade policy, bilateral agreements, and multilateral engagements. The forum directly addresses the GBR's strategic trade interests and its position within the global economy.

United States

A major global trading power with significant influence on international trade norms, often pursuing bilateral agreements while also engaging in multilateral frameworks.

Role in topic

The USA's trade relationship with the GBR is a key bilateral focus. Its policies on tariffs, subsidies, and digital trade will inevitably be a reference point for discussions on GBR's strategic trade partnerships and potential future agreements.

China

A dominant force in global manufacturing and trade, often characterized by state-led economic policies and increasing influence in international trade organizations.

Role in topic

CHN's trade practices and its economic relationship with the GBR are critical topics. Discussions will likely touch upon market access, intellectual property rights, and the broader implications of CHN's economic growth for GBR's trade strategy.

Germany

A leading economy within the European Union, advocating for open markets and multilateral trade, while also navigating internal bloc dynamics.

Role in topic

As a significant European trading partner, DEU's perspective on trade policy, particularly within the context of the EU-GBR relationship, will be relevant. Discussions may explore the implications of GBR's trade policies on its European neighbors.

India

An emerging economic powerhouse actively pursuing trade liberalization and seeking to expand its global economic footprint, particularly in services and technology.

Role in topic

IND represents a growing market and a potential strategic partner for the GBR. Discussions at the forum may explore opportunities for enhanced trade and investment between the two nations, particularly in sectors of mutual interest.

Topics & background

The background behind each topic and the actors that shape it.

UK Trade Policy After Brexit

Following the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union in 2020 and the entry into force of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the UK regained independent competence over trade policy for the first time in nearly five decades. The Department for Business and Trade has since pursued a portfolio of new agreements, including rollover deals with dozens of partners, bespoke FTAs with Australia and New Zealand, and accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in December 2024. At the same time, frictions with the EU single market, particularly over the Northern Ireland Protocol and its replacement by the Windsor Framework in 2023, have continued to shape goods trade. The core dispute today concerns how the UK balances regulatory autonomy against deep market access with its largest trading partner, the EU, while building new ties with Indo-Pacific economies and managing a complex relationship with the United States in the absence of a comprehensive bilateral FTA. Debates over the planned 2025-26 review of the TCA, alignment on services and digital trade, and the use of the new UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism are central. Delegates will weigh whether the UK's 'Global Britain' strategy has delivered measurable economic gains, how to handle divergence pressures from sectors such as agri-food and chemicals, and what trade architecture best supports the UK's industrial strategy.

Key players

The Global Economy in a Fragmenting Order

The global economy has moved through successive shocks since 2020: the COVID-19 pandemic, the inflation surge following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the most aggressive monetary tightening cycle in four decades, and intensifying US-China strategic competition. IMF forecasts through 2025 have pointed to sub-trend global growth of roughly 3 percent, well below the pre-2008 average, with notable divergence between a resilient US economy, a stagnating euro area, and a slowing Chinese economy weighed down by property-sector deleveraging. The central debate concerns whether the world is undergoing durable 'geoeconomic fragmentation.' WTO and IMF research documents a sharp rise in industrial policy, export controls on advanced semiconductors, and trade restrictions justified on national security grounds. Friend-shoring, the US Inflation Reduction Act, the EU's Critical Raw Materials Act, and China's response have reshaped global value chains, particularly in semiconductors, EVs, and clean energy. For the UK, an open mid-sized economy heavily dependent on services exports and inward investment, these shifts pose acute strategic questions about alignment, supply-chain resilience, and the future of the multilateral trading system.

Key players

Macroeconomic Policy in the Post-Inflation Era

The post-pandemic inflation episode pushed headline CPI in the UK above 11 percent in late 2022, the highest in four decades, driven by energy shocks, supply bottlenecks, and tight labour markets. The Bank of England responded by raising Bank Rate from 0.1 percent to 5.25 percent between December 2021 and August 2023, before beginning a cautious easing cycle in 2024. Similar tightening occurred across the Federal Reserve, ECB, and most advanced-economy central banks, ending more than a decade of near-zero policy rates. The core macroeconomic debate now centres on the neutral rate, the persistence of services inflation, and how to rebuild fiscal space after pandemic-era debt accumulation pushed UK public debt above 95 percent of GDP. The IMF and OBR have warned that ageing populations, defence spending pressures, and net-zero investment needs will require either higher taxation, spending restraint, or sustained productivity gains. Productivity stagnation since 2008 remains the UK's defining macroeconomic puzzle. Delegates will examine the interaction of monetary, fiscal, and supply-side policy, including questions around fiscal rules, quantitative tightening, and coordination among major central banks.

Key players

International Finance and Capital Flows

Global finance has been reshaped by the end of cheap money, with cross-border bank lending and portfolio flows to emerging markets becoming more volatile since 2022. The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Credit Suisse in March 2023 exposed weaknesses in interest-rate risk management and prompted renewed scrutiny of the Basel III endgame, which the UK is implementing through PRA rules from 2027. London remains one of the world's two leading international financial centres alongside New York, but has faced competitive pressure from EU venues post-Brexit, particularly in euro-denominated clearing and equity listings. Key current debates include the future of dollar dominance amid BRICS de-dollarisation rhetoric, the regulation of non-bank financial intermediation (now over half of global financial assets), the rollout of central bank digital currencies, and the financing of the green transition. The UK government's Edinburgh and Mansion House reforms aim to revitalise capital markets, pension consolidation, and listings competitiveness. For a trade-policy forum, finance matters because trade settlement, export credit, and investment treaties form the plumbing of the global economy and are increasingly weaponised through sanctions regimes targeting Russia, Iran, and select Chinese entities.

Key players

Public Opinion and the Politics of Trade

Public attitudes toward trade have shifted markedly since the 2016 Brexit referendum and US election, both of which exposed deep divisions over globalisation's distributional effects. Polling by the British Foreign Policy Group, YouGov, and the Pew Research Center consistently shows that while majorities in advanced economies still view trade favourably in the abstract, support drops sharply when specific FTAs threaten food standards, the NHS, or domestic farming. The 2022 UK-Australia FTA faced significant backlash from agricultural groups, and proposed alignment with US food regulations remains politically toxic. The core dispute is how democratic governments build durable consent for trade liberalisation amid concerns about labour displacement, regional inequality, and regulatory sovereignty. Research by the Resolution Foundation and the Centre for Economic Performance documents that the geography of Brexit support correlated strongly with exposure to import competition and decades-long industrial decline. Similar dynamics underpin the rise of economic nationalism in the US, France, and Germany. Delegates should consider how transparency, parliamentary scrutiny of trade deals, adjustment assistance, and communication strategies can rebuild public trust in an open trading system.

Key players

Trade Deficits and Global Imbalances

The UK has run a persistent current account deficit for most of the past four decades, typically between 2 and 5 percent of GDP, financed by inflows into UK assets and the City of London. The goods deficit, which widened sharply after Brexit-related trade frictions emerged in 2021, is partially offset by a surplus in services exports, particularly financial, legal, and professional services. The 2024 ONS reclassification of trade data and methodology changes have complicated cross-period comparisons. Globally, the imbalance debate has returned to prominence. The United States runs a goods deficit exceeding USD 1 trillion, with China, Mexico, Vietnam, and the EU as principal counterparts; the Trump administration's 2025 tariff actions explicitly target bilateral deficits as a policy metric. China, Germany, and several Gulf and East Asian economies continue to run large surpluses, prompting renewed IMF External Sector Report warnings about excessive imbalances and Chinese 'overcapacity' in EVs, batteries, and solar. Delegates will debate whether bilateral deficits are meaningful policy targets, the macroeconomic identity linking savings, investment, and the current account, and what cooperative frameworks could reduce destabilising imbalances.

Key players

Trade Policy Uncertainty

Trade policy uncertainty, measured by indices developed by Caldara, Iacoviello and others at the Federal Reserve, reached unprecedented levels during the 2018-19 US-China tariff war and surged again following the US 2024 election and the introduction of broad 'reciprocal' tariffs in 2025. Empirical work by the IMF, OECD, and Bank of England finds that elevated uncertainty significantly depresses business investment, hiring, and cross-border capital flows, with effects comparable to outright tariff increases. For the UK, uncertainty has multiple sources: the unresolved 2025-26 TCA review with the EU, ongoing US tariff actions affecting steel, aluminium, and potentially services, the unpredictable trajectory of the WTO dispute settlement system (whose Appellate Body has been non-functional since 2019), and contested rules around digital trade, subsidies, and carbon border measures. UK exporters report particular difficulty in supply-chain planning given overlapping rules-of-origin regimes across the TCA, CPTPP, and bilateral FTAs. The committee will assess instruments to reduce uncertainty, including binding tariff commitments, WTO reform, transparent industrial policy frameworks, and the role of investor-state and state-state dispute settlement.

Key players

Foreign Policy and the Geoeconomic Toolkit

Trade and foreign policy have become inseparable. Since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the UK, EU, US, and G7 partners have imposed the most extensive sanctions regime in history, including an oil price cap, asset immobilisation of roughly USD 300 billion in Russian central bank reserves, and export controls on dual-use goods. Simultaneously, the US-led semiconductor export controls of October 2022 and their successive tightening have created a parallel technology-restriction architecture targeting China, with which the UK has aligned in part through the National Security and Investment Act and updates to its export control regime. The core foreign-policy debate concerns how middle powers like the UK calibrate alignment with US strategy on China, manage relationships with the Gulf and India where economic interests are growing, and respond to the war in Ukraine and instability in the Middle East. The 2023 and 2025 Integrated Review refreshes positioned the UK as an 'Indo-Pacific tilt' actor while reaffirming Euro-Atlantic primacy through NATO and AUKUS. For a trade forum, the key questions are how to coordinate sanctions and export controls without fragmenting markets, whether economic statecraft is delivering its stated foreign-policy goals, and how trade agreements can serve as instruments of strategic alignment.

Key players

Resources

News, lessons, and country profiles to prep for UK Trade Policy Forum 2026.

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Lessons

Bite-sized lessons to build the basics

Hidden Stakeholders

Engagement Strategies

Dynamic Analysis

Stakeholder Mapping Workshop

Courses

Guided courses that go deeper on the topic

Policy Brief Writing

Advanced Negotiation

Multilateral Negotiation

Conflict Resolution

The states in play, with the data that shapes their stance

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

United Kingdom February 2026

By committee

Frequently asked questions

UK Trade Policy Forum 2026

Feb 24, 2026London, United KingdomIn-person

Registration open

Committees & topics

Topics
UK Trade Policy After Brexit · The Global Economy in a Fragmenting Order · Macroeconomic Policy in the Post-Inflation Era · International Finance and Capital Flows · Public Opinion and the Politics of Trade · Trade Deficits and Global Imbalances · Trade Policy Uncertainty · Foreign Policy and the Geoeconomic Toolkit

Why it matters

How to prepare

Country perspectives

Where the most-relevant 5 countries stand on the core issues in play. Click through for the full country profile.

United Kingdom

Actively seeking to redefine its global trade relationships and secure new agreements post-Brexit, while navigating complex geopolitical and economic shifts.

Role in topic

United States

A major global trading power with significant influence on international trade norms, often pursuing bilateral agreements while also engaging in multilateral frameworks.

Role in topic

China

A dominant force in global manufacturing and trade, often characterized by state-led economic policies and increasing influence in international trade organizations.

Role in topic

Germany

A leading economy within the European Union, advocating for open markets and multilateral trade, while also navigating internal bloc dynamics.

Role in topic

India

An emerging economic powerhouse actively pursuing trade liberalization and seeking to expand its global economic footprint, particularly in services and technology.

Role in topic