Market Access

The DTI's Market Access Unit is responsible for policy advice and co-ordination action on combating barriers to trade in non-EU countries, such as discriminatory taxation on products, intellectual property right abuse, non-compliance with other World Trade Organisation or bilateral obligations and many other factors which may disadvantage our exporters.

The Unit employs a strategic approach when prioritising the UK's trade barriers. Meetings with key sectors of UK industries are arranged regularly to identify priority trade barriers and any other trade policy concerns and interests they may wish to discuss.

An integral part of the Unit's work is the EU Barriers Removal Programme. The Barriers Removal Programme is the next phase of the EU Market Access Strategy, namely to identify and eliminate priority trade barriers. Our focus is that the prioritisation and pursuit of such cases take full account of UK interests. In doing so we closely co-ordinate the industries concerned, with other Directorates (such as the Patent Office, sponsor and geographic country desks) and other Departments who may have a specific responsibility or policy interest as well as our Posts abroad. A further input is the priorities identified by UK Trade & Investment.

Guarding against unfair treatment, and avoidance of other market access barriers, is also a key feature of our approach to negotiations with countries wishing to join the WTO or the EU, or for countries entering into bilateral agreements with the EU. As in other trade policy matters, the Unit works closely within the framework of the EU's Common Commercial Policy. Opportunities are also taken, as appropriate, in bilateral contact with the countries concerned.

Another important part of the EU Market Access Strategy is the EU Market Access Database which as well as listing applicable tariffs in overseas markets, comprises information on all cases of trade barriers world-wide. The Database is a useful tool for exporters wanting to check the situation by product, sector or country against trade barriers in markets overseas; and for identifying the possible significance of such barriers. For EU governments it provides a valuable tool for prioritising the urgency and manner in which such barriers can be tackled. The Database is now being developed further through the creation of Exporters' Guide to Import Formalities in key markets.

The Unit represents the UK in the advisory committees established by the EC Trade Barriers Regulation (Council Regulation (EC) No. 3286/94), and the Council Decision on Implementing the Community Market Access Strategy (Council Decision (98/552/EC). Both of these are published in the Official Journal of the European Communities, on pages L349/71, 31.12.94; and L265/31, 30.9.98 respectively.

If your company is experiencing an illicit trade barrier in a non EU-market, contact:

Contact: John Lane
Tel: 020 7215 4523
Fax: 020 7215 4499
E-mail: john.lane@dti.gsi.gov.uk

Last revised on 14 February 2003