Outrageous Secrets Unveiled! Scotland’s Game-Changing Trade Plan: You Won’t Believe What Happened – June 2023 Report!

Welcome to Scotland’s Vision for Trade

At the Scottish Government, we are proud to present our second annual report on the progress we have made towards the implementation of Scotland’s Vision for Trade. This report highlights the concrete actions we have taken in the past year to bring our vision to life and outlines the progress we have made towards our economic, social, and environmental ambitions.

Building on the Success of the Previous Year

Our progress report for the previous year laid out the specific actions we took to implement Scotland’s Vision for Trade in its first year. We are pleased to report that we have made significant strides in achieving our goals. However, we are not resting on our laurels. In this report, we outline the series of actions we have proposed for the second year, which will further support our overarching objectives.

Aligning with the Prime Minister’s Interrelated Missions

Earlier this year, the Prime Minister set out three interrelated missions: growing a fairer and greener economy, seizing net zero opportunities, and creating better communities. We are proud to announce that we have used Scotland’s Vision for Trade to make trade-related decisions that align with these missions. Our five principles of inclusive growth, well-being, sustainability, net zero, and good governance have guided us in contributing to the objectives set out in the National Economic Transformation Strategy (NSET).

A Principled Approach to Business

In light of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, taking a principled approach to business has never been more important. Throughout the year, we have strongly advocated for companies to sever ties with Russia. The Scottish government and its corporate agencies have made it abundantly clear that we will use all available powers to discourage trade and investment activities with Russia.

Improving the Trading Environment for Scottish Goods and Services

Since our last report, we have utilized the levers available to the Scottish Government to enhance the trading environment for Scottish goods and services. We have been diligently building our evidence base to inform policy development regarding the differential impacts of trade. Moreover, we have placed human rights at the forefront of our trade policy considerations. Additionally, Scotland has shown leadership in environmental regulation at the multilateral level.

A New Deal for Scottish Companies

In our pursuit of a new deal for Scottish companies, we have taken specific steps to increase our engagement with businesses. Our aim is to create an improved business environment for goods and services. For instance, we have established the Scottish Forum on Trade in Services and prioritized our relationships with stakeholders. We have actively sought the involvement of academics and other organizations to bring their expertise into the development of our trade policy.

Collaborating with the UK Government

We acknowledge that there are levers currently reserved for the United Kingdom Government. However, we continually emphasize the importance of an effective role for the Scottish Government in all stages of trade negotiations and policy development. We meticulously evaluate the UK Government’s proposals for new Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), ensuring that they align with our principles and serve the best interests of Scotland’s economy, people, and planet.

Continuing to Make an Impact

As we embark on the third year of implementing Scotland’s Trade Vision, we remain committed to working in partnership with stakeholders and businesses to make a tangible impact on Scotland’s trade policy. We express our heartfelt gratitude to all those who have collaborated with us since the launch of our Vision. We look forward to their unwavering support as we apply our principles to future trade-related decisions.

Richard Lochhead
Minister for Small Business, Innovation, Tourism, and Trade

Delving Deeper into Scotland’s Vision for Trade

Scotland’s Vision for Trade serves as a roadmap for Scotland’s engagement in international trade. It sets out a clear vision for a trading future that respects the principles of inclusivity, well-being, sustainability, net zero, and good governance. This forward-thinking approach ensures that Scotland’s trade policies not only support economic growth but also contribute to social and environmental progress.

Achieving Inclusive Growth

Inclusive growth lies at the heart of Scotland’s Vision for Trade. Recognizing that the benefits of trade should be accessible to all segments of society, Scotland is committed to fostering an economy that leaves no one behind. To achieve this, the Scottish Government focuses on promoting fair trade practices, supporting small businesses, and creating opportunities for underrepresented groups in trade.

Prioritizing Well-being

The well-being of the people is of paramount importance. Scotland’s Vision for Trade emphasizes the need to ensure that trade supports well-being by guaranteeing decent work conditions, protecting workers’ rights, and enhancing social welfare. By prioritizing well-being, Scotland aims to foster a flourishing society where individuals can thrive and prosper.

Driving Sustainability

Sustainability is a core principle that underpins Scotland’s approach to trade. With the urgent need to address the climate crisis, Scotland is at the forefront of promoting environmentally responsible trade practices. The Scottish Government actively encourages businesses to adopt sustainable production methods, reduce their carbon footprint, and prioritize renewable energy sources. By embedding sustainability in trade, Scotland aims to create a greener and more resilient economy.

Leading the Way to Net Zero

Scotland’s commitment to achieving net zero emissions has a profound influence on its trade policies. The Vision for Trade aligns with Scotland’s ambitious climate goals and emphasizes the importance of transitioning to a low-carbon economy. Scotland actively seeks opportunities for green innovation, clean technologies, and sustainable solutions in its trade relationships to accelerate progress towards net zero emissions.

Promoting Good Governance

Good governance is a fundamental principle that guides Scotland’s trade policy. The Scottish Government recognizes the importance of transparent and accountable decision-making processes in trade negotiations. By upholding the principles of good governance, Scotland aims to build trust among its citizens, stakeholders, and international partners, ensuring that trade benefits are distributed fairly and equitably.

Through the implementation of Scotland’s Vision for Trade, the Scottish Government has made significant strides towards a more prosperous, sustainable, and inclusive economy. By aligning trade policies with the Prime Minister’s interrelated missions and the National Economic Transformation Strategy, Scotland is actively shaping a trade landscape that supports both economic growth and the well-being of its people.

Summary

The Scottish Government’s second annual report on Scotland’s Vision for Trade highlights the progress made in implementing the Vision and outlines the actions taken in the past year. The report emphasizes the alignment of trade-related decisions with the Prime Minister’s interrelated missions of growing a fairer and greener economy, seizing net zero opportunities, and creating better communities. Scotland’s Vision for Trade incorporates five principles: inclusive growth, well-being, sustainability, net zero, and good governance. The Scottish Government has actively worked towards improving the trading environment, promoting human rights, and showcasing leadership in environmental regulation. Additionally, efforts have been made to engage with businesses, stakeholders, and experts to develop trade policies that serve Scotland’s economy, people, and planet. The Scottish Government continues to advocate for an effective role in trade negotiations and policy development, collaborate with the UK Government, and work towards making a real impact on Scotland’s trade policy.

Ministerial Prologue

I am pleased to present this second annual report on our progress towards implementation Scotland’s vision for trade (the vision). last year report set out the concrete actions we take to implement the Vision in its first year. He also outlined a series of actions that we proposed to take during the second year of implementation, which support our economic, social and environmental ambitions. This report outlines the progress we have made against those commitments.

Earlier this year, the Prime Minister set out to three interrelated missions to grow a fairer and greener economy, seize net zero opportunities, and create better communities. We have used the Vision to continue to make trade-related decisions based on our five principles of inclusive growth, well-being, sustainability, net zero, and good governance. This has contributed to the objectives set out in the National Economic Transformation Strategy (NSET) as we transition to a welfare economy.

Taking a principled approach to business has never been more important, in light of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. Throughout the year we led calls for companies to break ties with Russia and made it clear that the Scottish government and its corporate agencies will use all available powers not to support trade and investment activity with Russia.

Since the last report, we have used the levers available to the Scottish Government to make progress in improving the trading environment for Scottish goods and services. We have continued to build our evidence base to inform our policy development on the differential impacts of trade, and have made human rights a central consideration in trade policy. We have also shown Scotland’s leadership in environmental regulation at the multilateral level.

As the Scottish Government seeks a New Deal for Scottish companies To better support businesses and communities, we have taken specific steps to increase our engagement with businesses as part of improving the business environment for goods and services. For example, we established the new Scottish Forum on Trade in Services. More broadly, we have continued to prioritize our relationships with stakeholders and have engaged with academics and other organizations throughout the year to bring their expertise to the development of our trade policy. In this report we have detailed, for example, stakeholder roundtables on regulation, differential impacts, climate and the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Of course, we also recognize that there are levers currently reserved for the United Kingdom Government, and we have continued to reiterate the importance of an effective role for the Scottish Government at all stages of trade negotiations and policy development. We have continued to examine the United Kingdom Government proposals for each new Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and assessed them against our principles, to best serve the interests of Scotland’s economy, people and planet.

As we move into the third year of implementing the Scottish Trade Vision, we will continue to work in partnership with our stakeholders and businesses to make a real impact on Scotland’s trade policy. I thank all those who have worked with us since we launched the Vision, and I look forward to your continued support as we apply our principles to trade-related decisions.

Richard Lochhead Minister for Small Business, Innovation, Tourism and Trade