Overview
Our first Digital Trade Conference took place on 27 May 2021
About the Summit
On 27 May, techUK and partners brought together academics, thought leaders, technology experts and policy makers at techUK’s first annual Digital Trade Conference.
The conference took place over one day and focused on four key geographical areas – Australia/New Zealand/Singapore, Japan, WTO/European Union and USA/Canada.
Following UK’s exit from the European Union and the conclusion of a new trade deal with the EU, as well as a series of roll-over agreements with tens of other countries, the ongoing negotiations with Australia, New Zealand, USA and the impending accession to CPTPP, techUK believes this is a key moment for driving a trade policy with digital at its heart.
During the conference, we also held a discussion around our updated version of A Vision for UK Digital Trade Policy - A blueprint for UK Digital Trade, taking into account both the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, but also UK’s recently concluded trade deals and other digital-only trade agreements concluded by CPTPP members in 2020.
Some of the key quesstions addressed during the conference were, what are some of the key developments and themes in digital trade? How should the UK position itself in this new era? What are some of the challenges to free digital trade? How do we work together to minimise their impact? What can be achieved bilaterally or regionally and what should be the realistic ambition for a global baseline deal?
The event focused on global best practice in digital trade, what does good look like, what we can learn from each other and how the UK can help drive a vision for open digital trade going forward.
You can view all the content from the conference here.
For any queries, please contact:
Sabina Ciofu
Sabina Ciofu
Sabina Ciofu is Associate Director – International, running the International Policy and Trade Programme at techUK.
Based in Brussels, she leads our EU policy and engagement. She is also our lead on international trade policy, with a focus on digital trade chapter in FTAs, regulatory cooperation as well as broader engagement with the G7, G20, WTO and OECD.
As a transatlanticist at heart, Sabina is a GMF Marshall Memorial fellow and issue-lead on the EU-US Trade and Technology Council, within DigitalEurope.
Previously, she worked as Policy Advisor to a Member of the European Parliament for almost a decade, where she specialised in tech regulation, international trade and EU-US relations.
Sabina loves building communities and bringing people together. She is the founder of the Gentlewomen’s Club and co-organiser of the Young Professionals in Digital Policy. Previously, as a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community, she led several youth civic engagement and gender equality projects.
She sits on the Advisory Board of the University College London European Institute, Café Transatlantique, a network of women in transatlantic technology policy and The Nine, Brussels’ first members-only club designed for women.
Sabina holds an MA in War Studies from King’s College London and a BA in Classics from the University of Cambridge.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Phone:
- +32 473 323 280
- Website:
- www.techuk.org
Event Sponsors
