Department for International Trade (DIT) Areas of Research Interest: Long-Term Priorities and Focus

Introduction: The Department for International Trade (DIT) continually refines its research interests to underpin policy decisions and operational strategies. In 2018, the initial Areas of Research Interest (ARI) document was published to engage academia and industry. This updated edition reflects evolving priorities, global trends, and the UK’s comprehensive approach to free trade, regional development, and socio-economic recovery.

DIT’s Broad Mandate: As a UK-wide department, DIT aligns its research priorities with the government’s robust agenda, emphasizing free trade expansion globally, regional equalization, clean growth, and post-COVID-19 recovery. Led by the Secretary of State for International Trade, DIT aims to consolidate policy, promotional expertise, and financial resources to facilitate trade and investment, advocate British interests worldwide, and foster global demand for UK products and services.

The Significance of Evidence-Based Research: Given the ambitious scope of these initiatives and the fast-paced changes in technology and global economics, leveraging cutting-edge evidence becomes pivotal. Particularly amid the COVID-19 outbreak, robust research is essential for effective policymaking and operational strategies to address the challenges and opportunities arising within the global trading landscape.

Focus Areas of Research Interest: The updated ARI document reiterates long-term interests while emphasizing the need for expanded evidence in existing domains and encouraging further research. Notably, this edition spotlights trade shocks and recovery pertaining to COVID-19’s impacts. It seeks evidence on the effects of the pandemic on business models, supply chains, and regionalization trends across sectors.

Key Questions and Research Themes: The document delves into critical inquiries, including the assessment of long-term structural changes in global trade post-shocks, impacts on different sectors and business sizes due to the crisis, and the role of trade policy in ensuring economic security and resilience. Additionally, it examines the best measures to encourage businesses to re-engage in international trade post-crisis and policies fostering supply chain resilience.

Research Categories and Analysis: The ARI document categorizes its focus into multiple areas like trade agreements, market access barriers, trade remedies, regional impacts of trade, climate change considerations, trade in services and digital trade, export facilitation, and public perceptions of trade policies. Each category involves comprehensive research questions and data analysis aimed at offering nuanced insights.

Conclusion: DIT’s commitment to robust research and evidence-driven policies underscores its dedication to supporting UK businesses, navigating global trade complexities, and fostering economic resilience post-COVID-19. This refreshed ARI document serves as an invitation for academia and industry to contribute valuable insights to shape UK’s trade policies and strategies for sustainable growth in a rapidly evolving global landscape.

Contributors: Richard Price, DIT Chief Economist Dr Mike Short CBE, DIT Chief Scientific Adviser

By neutrally presenting the key points without replicating the exact text or structure, the rewritten content aims to inform and highlight the essence of DIT’s research focus for our readers on The Supply Chain Report blog.