Department of Trade and Department of Trade and Industry: International Trade Policy...

PJ 8

1976-1999

This series contains registered files (ITP, TM, NK, SY and TJ Series) of the International Trade Policy Division (ITP) (and successors). Files in this series primarily relate to UK trade relations, agreements, policy and interactions with the European Union, the World Trade Organisation and other countries. They cover a wide range of issues, including anti-dumping, export subsidies, customs duties, harmonised commodity coding system, export controls, countervailing, animal leghold traps, steel and forced labour.

The series also includes meeting minutes of the Trade Policy Group Secretariat. The Trade Policy Group provided a forum to discuss the UK’s approach to trade. The group addressed key challenges relating to trade, including relations with the World Trade Organisation and the UK’s interactions with the European Commission. From 1999, the Trade Policy Directorate (TPE1) took over responsibility for the Trade Policy Group Secretariat from New Issues & Developing Countries (TPE2).

Pieces 78-118 to be transferred at a later date

See also PJ 12

ITP, NK, SY, TJ and TM

Public Record(s)

English

• Department of Trade, 1974-1983
• Department of Trade and Industry, Europe Directorate, 1996-1999
• Department of Trade and Industry, External European Policy Division, 1987-1991
• Department of Trade and Industry, Import Policy Directorate, 1996-1999
• Department of Trade and Industry, International Economic Directorate, 1996-1999
• Department of Trade and Industry, International Trade Policy Division, 1983-1987
• Department of Trade and Industry, International Trade Policy Division, 1991-1995
• Department of Trade and Industry, New Issues and Developing Countries, 1996-1999
• Department of Trade and Industry, Trade Policy Directorate, 1996-2002
• Department of Trade, International Trade Policy Division, 1981-1983

125 file(s)

Open unless otherwise stated

from 2013 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Topics

Government finances

Labour

Taxation

Trade and commerce

Europe and Russia

Inherited by the Department for International Trade in 2016 and the Department for Business and Trade in 2023.

Series is accruing.

Selected under collection themes 2.2.1.2 - management of the economy and 2.2.1.3 external relatons.

The International Trade Policy Division (ITP) was primarily responsible for the UK interests in the EU?s common commercial policy, General Agreements of Tariffs and Trade (GATT) including the Uruguay Round, Multilateral Trade Negotiations, and the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The Division also contributed to general trade policy, tariff negotiations and issues, anti-dumping and market access covering a large range of industries. The European Community and Trade Relations Division (ECTR) was created 1994 and worked alongside ITP on cross-cutting matters. ECTR was primarily responsible for EC policy, including trade relations with the European Commission, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), the European Economic Area (EEA) and North America, the former Soviet Union, and Central and Eastern Europe.

In 1996, the responsibilities of ITP and ECTR were re-distributed between the newly formed Trade Policy Directorate (TPE1), New Issues & Developing Countries (TPE2), Import Policy Directorate (TPE3), International Economic Directorate (TPE4) and Europe Directorate (TPE5) following a restructure in the Department of Trade and Industry. These directorates worked together on cross-cutting issues, often jointly inheriting and contributing to pre-existing record series. This was the case for the TM, NK, SY and TJ record series to which TPE1, TPE2, TPE3 and TPE5 contributed content.

TPE1 took over the main responsibility for trade relations and negotiations with the European Community, the World Trade Organisation and other major partners and organisations as reflected in the directorate?s structure. TPE1 consisted of four different sections: Head of International and European Community trade policy section (TPE1a), Head of World Trade Organisation (WTO) section (TPE1b), Head of North America section (TPE1c) and Head of Asia-Pacific section (TPE1d).

TPE2 took over responsibilities for competition policy, labour standards, trade in services, international investment policy, general trade policy and relations involving developing countries and combating bribery in international business transactions.

TPE3 took over responsibilities for general import issues, anti-dumping, textile trade issues, tariff negotiations, EC external tariff and GATT Customs Validation Code, general tariff issues, temporary duty suspensions, inward and outward processing relief and the UNESCO Florence Agreement.

TPE4 took over responsibilities for the financing of trade, commodities, economic aspects of external trade policy, economic evaluation of the Department?s export promotion schemes, UK trade and investment performance, providing economic advice on the economic prospects of developing country markets, providing advice on the single market and EU issues, supporting Aid and Trade applications and general economic analysis.

TPE5 took over responsibilities for state aid policy and advice, pursuing cases of UK interest involving other member states, co-ordination of WTO subsidy notifications, UK representation on OECD working parties, supporting businesses to take advantage of the single market, EU industrial policy, EU bilateral visits and finance, EU enlargement and EFTA and EEA trade policy.