* Britain is taking a more ambitious, generous, and pro-growth approach to trading with developing nations

* The proposed new UK-Developing Countries Trading Scheme aims to grow trade with lower income nations, supporting jobs and growth across the globe

The UK Government launched a consultation on new trading rules on July 19. The UK Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) is a major opportunity to grow free and fair trade with 70 qualifying countries, including Sri Lanka, the British High Commission in Colombo said in a statement issued yesterday (23)

According to the statement, the proposed scheme will mean more opportunity and less bureaucracy. This includes improvements such as lower tariffs and simpler rules of origin requirements for countries exporting to the UK, allowing countries to diversify their exports and grow their economies.

The statement quoted British High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Sarah Hulton as having said: “The proposed DCTS scheme signals the UK’s appetite to promote global free and fair trade, as well as demonstrating our commitment to Sri Lanka, by enabling Sri Lankan businesses to access the UK market more easily. Bilateral trade between the UK and Sri Lanka stood at GBP1.2 billion in 2020, and there is room for growth.  I encourage people here in Sri Lanka to contribute to this important consultation, which is open to all”.

The consultation on the UK’s new scheme runs for eight weeks and seeks the view of all sectors of society, including businesses, the public, civil society groups, consumers, associations, partner governments and any other interested stakeholders. Currently the UK operates a similar scheme rolled over from the EU, but as an independent trading nation can now take a simpler, more generous, pro-growth approach to trading with developing countries.

The statement also quoted UK’s International Trade Secretary Liz Truss as having said: “Trade fundamentally empowers people and has done more than any single policy in history to lift millions of people around the world out of poverty. Now the UK is an independent trading nation we have a huge opportunity do things differently, taking a more liberal, pro-trade approach that leads to growth and opportunity. Countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam have proven it’s possible to trade your way to better living standards, and our new Developing Countries Trading Scheme will help others do the same.”

Responses to the consultation can be given via GOV.UK until the closing date of 12 September 2021. 

The consultation will offer respondents the opportunity to provide views on:

* Simplifying rules of origin requirements for least developed countries;

*  Reducing tariffs for low income and lower middle-income countries;

*  Amendments to the approach to goods graduation, which suspends preferential rates on particular goods from certain countries on the basis of their competitiveness;

*  Amendments to the conditions and reporting requirements that enable a low-income or lower-middle-income country to benefit from more generous provisions through the values-based incentivised arrangement;

*  and simplifying the conditions that could lead to variation or suspension of preferences for any beneficiary country.