Department for Business and Trade UK
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) was established on February 7, 2023, during Rishi Sunak’s premiership, merging the former Department for International Trade with business-focused responsibilities from the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy. Led by Secretary of State Jonathan Reynolds, the DBT focuses on economic growth, business support, international trade promotion, market competition, economic security, and regulatory reform. The department successfully finalized the UK’s entry into the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership in April 2023 and began trade negotiations with Switzerland in May 2023. The Minister of State for Trade Policy and Economic Security position, which handles media relations, operates under the DBT’s authority.
