International trade

This note looks at UK trade and provides a summary of the key statistics behind the UK’s Balance of Trade.

This short note looks at UK/Italy trade statistics

This short note looks at the available UK/Brazil trade statistics

This standard note provides an introduction to the Chinese economy (including trade with the UK) : statistics and key issues

Although Switzerland is not a member of the EU, it has chosen to cooperate with the EU in a number of areas of specific interest.

This note briefly describes the Wreck Removal Convention Bill 2010-11; a Private Members' Bill sponsored by Dr Thérèse Coffey MP. The Bill provides measures to enable the United Kingdom to ratify and implement the International Convention for the Removal of Wrecks. It would insert new sections and a Schedule into the Merchant Shipping Act 1995.

The G20 has met at leaders' level since November 2008. The second summit in 2010 takes place in Seoul in November. This note provides background to the G20, outcomes of summits so far, the agenda for Seoul, and the G8/G20 relationship.

This note was last published on 26 August 2009 and will not be updated. In the early stages of the financial crisis there were hopes that it would be largely contained within developed economies, with developing economies having 'decoupled' from them. These early hopes proved unfounded, with developing countries struck by declining trade, a loss of investor confidence and withdrawal of investment, a fall in the value of vital remittances, and much reduced growth and contraction in some cases. There are also fears that aid flows may suffer in the aftermath of the crisis. This note summarises key reports and statistics, with links to further resources.

The European Union and African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries have been renegotiating their relationship. A series of interim Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) were signed with a number of ACP countries towards the end of 2007, as well as a more comprehensive EPA with the Caribbean ACPs. This note updates with recent developments, and outlines some of the criticisms there have been of EPAs and the negotiations.

This Bill would amend section 8(5) of the Industrial Development Act 1982 and section 1(1) of the Export and Investment Guarantees Act 1991. The Bill proposes to increase the total level of financial support to industry allowed under section 8 of the Industrial Development Act 1982. The Bill also proposes to widen support provided by the Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) to include exports that have already taken place.

The European Union offers developing countries unilateral preferential trading arrangements under its Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), which is split into three parts: standard GSP, GSP+ and 'Everything But Arms'. A new GSP Regulation is to enter into force on 1 January 2009, running to the end of 2011. This note outlines the changes that have been made, providing a background and history to the GSP.

This note summarises the background to and issues surrounding Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs), which have received a great deal of political and media attention through the creation of China's fund and the large investments made by SWFs in various Western financial institutions during the global 'credit crunch'.

An economic introduction to India. House of Commons Library Research Paper 07/40.

A Political and Economic Introduction to China. House of Commons Library Research Paper 06/36