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Welcome to the BABN’s April Policy and Trade Update.

The past month delivered some promising developments and exciting opportunities for our community. As the momentum behind the transatlantic trade agenda continues to grow, we look forward to upcoming forums like the revived SME Dialogue and SelectUSA Summit in June.

See below for a recap of the policy and trade headlines of May 2022, as well as additional information on upcoming events in the Network.

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Headlines
Confirmation of US Ambassador Jane Hartley
26 May 2022

BritishAmerican Business welcomed the recent announcement that the US Senate has confirmed the appointment of Jane Hartley as the incoming Ambassador to the UK. BAB looks forward to working with the US Embassy and newly-confirmed Ambassador in the near future.

You can read BAB CEO Duncan Edwards' remarks on the announcement here.

US-UK SME Dialogue 
22 June 2022

Our community welcomed the recent announcement that a new US-UK SME Dialogue will be held next month in Boston on June 22. The revival of the SME Dialogue is a welcome outcome of the US-UK Dialogues on the Future of Transatlantic Trade held earlier this year and has been a top priority for our community, including in BAB’s 2021-2022 Policy Agenda.

The Dialogue is an incredibly valuable opportunity to engage with key government stakeholders to advance cooperation in areas of particular importance to SMEs, as well as an opportunity to access practical support and resources to help in business expansion. BAB has been an official partner to previous SME Dialogues and looks forward to bringing another strong group from our network to the revived Dialogue this June.
 
Topics for discussion include opportunities for US-UK SME trade and cooperation in emerging technologies; global expansion best practices for US and UK companies; access to capital for SME global expansion; and trade resources for small businesses. The event will also feature opportunities for attendees to engage in discussion with trade experts or learn about tools and resources to grow their businesses internationally.

BAB has been an official partner to previous SME Dialogue and looks forward to supporting this initiative when it is launched later this year. If you are interested in attending or supporting the Dialogue, please contact Dagny Ahrend at dahrend@babinc.org

Policy Updates
Reopening of Parliament
10 May 2022

This month, BAB tuned in for the reopening of parliament, where the UK government set out its legislative agenda for the forthcoming year in the Queen's Speech. The draft bills introduced give an indication of the Government's policy priorities going forward, such as the Levelling up and Regeneration Bill, UK Infrastructure Bank Bill, and the Energy Security Bill.

BAB welcomed the inclusion of the Electronic Trade Documents Bill in the Government's priorities, which is a positive step towards modernizing trade documents to support efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable trade. As an organization that has long advocated for the interests of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs), we note the huge benefits this will have for smaller businesses across the UK.

You can read BAB CEO Duncan Edwards' remarks on the announcement here
Scottish First Minister Visit to DC
17 May 2022

BAB were delighted to join members at the British Embassy in Washington DC for the BAB Policy Business Roundtable and Reception with the The First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, who travelled to Washington DC on the 17 May. Many thanks to members in our network who attended the roundtable and reception on the occasion, as well as the Scottish Government and the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States who co-hosted the event
Trade Updates
#DITStateSide in Indiana
26 - 29 May 2022

UK Minister for Trade Policy Penny Mordaunt’s #DITStateSide campaign that group members helped to inform earlier this year. She and her team signed the first UK MOUs with the US State of Indiana; an initiative that we wholeheartedly endorsed and support, especially where BAB has local chapters. Find out more about the Indiana-UK agreement here.

The MOU is expected to be formally signed at the Indiana Global Economic Summit this week

London Tech Week
13 - 17 June 2022

The US Chamber of Commerce will send an AI delegation to London to attend London Tech Week The UK’s tech flagship event on 13-17 June brings 20,000+ global government and corporate leaders, inspirational start-up founders, senior investors and tech rising stars together to discuss the power of technology for societies. To learn more about BAB’s activities around the London Tech Week and the AI delegation, please contact Dagny Ahrend at dahrend@babinc.org

SelectUSA Summit
26 - 29 June 2022

The SelectUSA Summit is the highest-profile event dedicated to promoting foreign direct investment (FDI) in the United States. Featuring senior government officials, C-Suite business executives, and other thought leaders, each Summit focuses on a timely theme related to the U.S. investment environment, industry trends, and new opportunities.

The SelectUSA Summit in June and highlight resources available to SMEs looking to expand to the US. To learn more about BAB’s activities around the SelectUSA Summit, please contact Sophie Tjugen-Luper at stjugen-luper@babinc.org

Events & Initiatives in the Network
Transatlantic Growth Roundtable for UK to US Growth & Investment
7 June 2022

Join BAB—in partnership with event sponsors HSBC, Virgin Atlantic, and Delta Air Lines—for a virtual roundtable discussion as part of the Transatlantic Growth 2022 Tracker campaign. The roundtable will feature senior executives from a selection of companies each recognised for their contributions to transatlantic growth over the past year. The discussion will cover how UK headquartered companies have approached US expansion and investment and provide an opportunity for attendees to contribute. Learn more about the event and register here.
Thank you for reading our Policy and Trade Update. If you have any feedback or comments please contact us.

BAB participates in and offers policy and trade support to the BritishAmerican Business Network, a group of over 20 independent trade organisations across North America and the UK. If you would like to learn more about the network and its activities, please visit our website.

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