Trade Remedies Authority publishes Corporate and Business Plan 2023-2026

The Trade Remedies Authority today published its consolidated Corporate and Business Plan 2023-2026. This ambitious plan sets out the TRA’s corporate and business planning priorities for the next three years under its four strategic goals of Cases, People, Digital and Reputation and details how the TRA plans to deliver its mission of defending UK economic interests against unfair international trade practices.

A far-reaching work programme

By March 2025, the TRA expects to have completed its review of all 43 trade remedy measures transitioned from the EU. From this point, the TRA will act directly in response to requests from UK industries. Developments in the global economy, such as the spread in use of subsides for strategic industries, could drive an increasing need for trade remedies in the future. To help ensure that every British industry that could need this support is aware of the UK’s trade remedies regime, the TRA will continue to invest in its Pre-Application Office, which offers free confidential advice to support businesses interested in making an application. The TRA has recently launched an online hub to provide additional guidance for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) navigating what trade remedies could mean for them. The TRA has also introduced a biennial survey of stakeholder views to help ensure we’re focusing on what matters to businesses and other key stakeholders.

Expanded analysis of the TRA’s operating environment and risk landscape

The plan sets out an ambitious programme of 20 corporate and business planning priorities for the next three years, aligned to the TRA’s strategic goals – this includes a programme to monitor and evaluate the impact of the recommendations the TRA makes to the Government, a digital vision roadmap and how the organisation plans to expand engagement with peer trade remedies bodies worldwide. The plan also expands its analysis of the TRA’s external operating environment, which in turn informs its risk landscape and reflects the rapid pace of both domestic and global change. And to ensure that stakeholders can hold the TRA to account on the deliverables that matter most, the plan sets out a strengthened set of high-level Key Performance Indicators for each of the TRA’s strategic goals.

TRA Chair Simon Walker explains:

The Trade Remedies Authority plays a critical role in the government’s vision of putting trade at the heart of global Britain. This plan sets out how, over the coming years, we will build on and deploy the independent expertise needed to provide robust advice and recommendations to government in support of the UK’s strategy for prosperity and economic growth.

The plan includes links to further detailed information about the TRA and its schedule of cases. It will be reviewed, updated and rolled forward each year to make sure it takes account of changes in operating environment, supports the organisation in being agile and flexible as a business, and remains fit for purpose. The plan will be followed in July 2023 by the TRA’s first Annual Report & Accounts.

Background information

• As an independent body operating at arm’s length from the Department for Business & Trade, the TRA is guided in its work by its principles of proportionality, impartiality, transparency and efficiency.
• The TRA welcomes applications for trade remedies investigations from any business operating in the UK. Read our online guidance to find out more about how to apply and what information to provide.