THE UK BOARD OF TRADE - MARCH REPORT
Free trade helped build Britain. It created jobs, businesses and entire industries, bringing wealth and prosperity to the UK and transforming the country into an economic powerhouse.
Today free and fair trade and the global trading system which supports it are under attack both at home and abroad. Yet there can be few things more important than championing free and fair trade, rooted in our values of sovereignty, democracy, the rule of law and a fierce commitment to high standards. It is free and fair trade that has helped reduce poverty on a scale unprecedented in human history. It is free and fair trade that will help our country bounce back from the damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic. It is free and fair trade that will help us to realise the ambitions of Global Britain. And it is free and fair trade that will bring huge economic benefits to this country, helping to create good quality and highly paid jobs in every part of the UK.
This is why I am proud to present the first report by the Board of Trade. For the first time in almost 50 years, the UK is in control of its own trade policy and we have renewed this centuries-old institution to bring together leaders in business, academia and government. The Board’s Advisers will support the government on its trade strategy, provide intellectual leadership on trade policy, and help make the case for free and fair trade across the world. The quarterly reports published by the Board of Trade will highlight key trade issues, promote the concept of exporting and demonstrate new global opportunities for UK businesses. As a nation we have not been in a position to steer our own trade debate for generations. Now we can and I believe the Board will play a crucial role in this vital discussion.
We have a great story to tell as a trading nation, and now as we set out into our future as an independent country with the whole world as its marketplace, we will champion values-driven free trade as a force for good in the world and a driver of prosperity for every part of the United Kingdom.
The Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP, President of the Board of Trade & Secretary of State for International Trade
The UK Board of Trade champions exports, inward investment and outward direct investment to deliver economic growth and prosperity across the whole of the United Kingdom.
