Speaking at London Tech Week, Anne-Marie Trevelyan announced a five-point plan for digital trade to reduce business costs, simplify legislation and ‘shore up’ data protection.

The Minister, who was appointed last week in Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s cabinet reshuffle, has put forward the plans as her first order of business, looking to establish a “free and fair digital trade landscape” to help UK businesses and consumers thrive.

UK firms are currently facing barriers and restrictions, making it harder to benefit from digital tech.

Trevelyan commented that the plan will allow firms to reach more customers by making it easier to sell online as well as helping them trade “efficiently and cost-effectively”.

“All of us depend on digital trade, yet British businesses face digital barriers in countries who take a protectionist approach,” Trevelyan said.

“I want the UK to break down these barriers and open up new, exciting opportunities for businesses and consumers so we can see improved productivity, jobs and growth.”

According to the Government’s plans, the five-points include:

1. Facilitating more open digital markets to ensure British consumers and businesses benefit from greater access to digital markets in other countries.
2. Advocating free and trusted cross-border data flows that will make it simpler and cheaper for businesses who use data to trade internationally while maintaining UK’s personal data protection.
3. Championing consumer and business safeguards through enhanced consumer and intellectual property protections.
4. Promoting the development and adoption of innovative digital trading systems such as digital customs processes, e-contracting and paperless trading, which can cut red tape and make trade easier, cheaper, faster, and more secure.
5. Establishing global cooperation on digital trade via free trade agreements with international partners and using our G7 presidency and seat at the WTO to push for countries to become more open to digital trade.

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Trevelyan added: “Our five-point plan is the first step in shaping international digital trade policy for decades to come.

“Through our network of international agreements, we are breaking new ground, pushing forward innovative ideas, and setting a new gold standard for digital trade.”

According to figures collected by the UK Government, digital trade is vital for business growth in the UK, being valued £326 billion in 2019.

The digital sector has also contributed around £150bn to the UK economy over the same period, employing 4.6% of the national workforce.

Last year, the UK agreed a ‘comprehensive digital chapter’ as part of the Free Trade Agreement with Japan. In June, negotiations for a Digital Economy Agreement with Singapore were launched, hoping to ‘push the frontiers’ of digital trade further.

The Government said that it will look to “conclude negotiations” with other key partners such as Australia and New Zealand, hoping to cement the UK as a “key partner” in the Indo-Pacific region post as we look to towards a ‘Global Britain’ post Brexit.