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INTRODUCTION FROM SCOTT STEEDMAN C
Putting standards at the heart of trade policy
ompanies of all sizes across the UK are looking for ways to return to growth as the country emerges from the Covid-19 pandemic.
The most recent Santander Trade
Barometer has identifi ed that many UK businesses are looking to export markets as the key to growth. Companies that already trade internationally are searching for new market opportunities in new countries, while many companies that have traditionally done business solely domestically want to take their fi rst steps towards international expansion. This is all happening at a time when the UK Government is engaged in setting up new trade deals around the world. Alongside the US, Australia and New Zealand, the UK Government is looking to start talks with Mexico, Canada and India and has applied to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans- Pacifi c Partnership (CPTPP), a free trade partnership between 11 countries around the Pacifi c Rim. In concluding trade agreements globally, the Government is looking to be more ambitious than the EU, in particular in the digital area. There is much talk of boosting digital trade, supporting Small and Medium size Enterprises (SMEs) to grow their export
business and increasing cooperation between standards bodies. In our role as the UK National Standards
Body, we see great opportunities for mutually benefi cial trade agreements and for UK businesses to grow and thrive. International trade is all about shaping the rules-based system of standards and regulations that enable market access and ensure reciprocity for both sides. In this issue of Standards Outlook, we set out the case that standards should be viewed as a strategic asset for the UK Government in negotiating trade deals that can build on the opportunity provided by the UK’s regulatory autonomy and create a passport to new and innovative trade opportunities, both export and import, for UK businesses. BSI has close relations with its counterpart
standards bodies in all countries where the UK is looking to conclude trade agreements and beyond. We look forward to using these close working relationships to help grow bilateral trade and to cooperate in the development of international standards. International standards are a cornerstone of the WTO rules-based trading system. They help to create a common language for British businesses and their trading partners, deliver confi dence in products and services for UK consumers and facilitate and simplify regulatory compliance.
Companies that use standards are more
likely to export, as international standards help reduce barriers to market access and give consumers more confi dence in the products they purchase.
Countries that adopt the same standard, whether in support of regulation or simply to streamline their market for industry and consumers, create a catalyst for trade and innovation. This enables companies to sell their products and services without the need for local adaptation. Standards support interoperability, reduce transaction costs and provide a signal of quality to customers and buyers around the world. Within Europe, BSI’s continued membership of CEN and CENELEC and adoption of European standards, distinct from EU regulation, help to keep costs low for UK businesses looking to export to markets in continental Europe. Through my membership of the
Government’s Strategic Trade Advisory Group
(STAG), I refl ect the views of UK standards makers, ensuring they have a voice in shaping the UK’s future trade policy and trade deals. BSI maintains a close dialogue with
Government through our regular channels in DIT, FCDO and BEIS to ensure that where standards are referred to in trade agreements it is done in a way that refl ects the UK model of stakeholder-driven voluntary standards and maximizes the UK interest. Our input to the DIT Strategic Trade Advisory Group (STAG) has been well received. We hold regular stakeholder updates to ensure that standards makers and users are kept informed of the latest developments and we can receive direct feedback on the challenges and opportunities for industry, consumers and the innovation community.
An important message for Government is that standards are fl exible and easily adapted to serve emerging trends such as digital trade, fi nancial services and the servitization of manufacturing, which will be key drivers for UK economic growth. New issues such as data security, ethics and privacy are growing faster than regulators can keep up with in many countries. International collaboration in standards development is key to making rapid global progress on common approaches to protecting people and enterprises. You will fi nd more detail on all these themes in the articles that follow by BSI experts and also by guest contributors Sue Davies and Jane Wallace from Which?, who explain how standards can help protect the interests of consumers in trade deals, and from Paul Moorby, CEO of a successful small business, who discusses how standards have helped him win new business overseas.
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