The Future of International Trade | IPT
Chair: Dame Harriett Baldwin DBE MP, Shadow Minister for Business and Trade
Speaker: Chris Southworth, Secretary General, International Chambers of Commerce
Speaker: Aileen Keyes, Director of International Tax and Trade, Diageo
Speaker: Professor Michael Gasiorek, Co-Director of the UK Trade Policy Observatory, University of Sussex
Dinner Discussion

Date:

Monday 16 March 2026

Venue:

Westminster Hall

Start Time:

19:00

End Time:

21:15

International trade has a significant impact on the UK economy. In 2023, 279,300 British businesses exported goods and services internationally, and many more will have used imported goods for their own products. By the end of 2025, total UK trade accounted for £1.88 trillion pounds of value. International trade is facing new opportunities and challenges in the form of changing geopolitical landscapes, focuses on sustainability, and the increased digitalisation of the economy. Furthermore, emerging, fast-growing economies are also presenting new opportunities for trade deals, increasing choices for businesses and consumers. In 2025, the Government announced a new UK Trade Strategy to “reset the UK’s approach to international trade”, to stimulate growth and provide economic security. How can industry and Parliament work together to ensure that UK trade continues to thrive in an ever-changing global landscape?

This event will:

• Assess opportunities to modernise and simplify trade, including the use of new technologies.

• Examine how the UK can ensure economic security amidst growing global uncertainty.

• Discuss how to ensure future trade is free, fair, accountable and sustainable.