Scotland's Vision for Trade: annual report - June 2023

Introduction

In January 2021, the Scottish Government published Scotland’s Vision for Trade, (the Vision): a strategic policy framework to guide the decisions we make on trade in a way that supports our wider ambitions for the Scottish economy, people and the planet.

In the Vision, we committed to publishing an annual trade policy review to report on implementation progress. This report sets out the work we have undertaken since the first Annual Report in March 2022. It covers our progress in using the levers which are currently available to the Scottish Government, and engaging with the UK Government to encourage them to use theirs. It also outlines how we plan to build on this progress.

While the continuing delivery of A Trading Nation, Scotland’s Export Growth Plan promotes Scottish exports in target markets where we have competitive advantage and targets provision of support to Scottish businesses to increase exports, this report focusses on other levers available to influence the trading environment. In seeking to build the right trading conditions for export growth, in line with our principles, the Vision supports the aims of A Trading Nation. Together, A Trading Nation and the Vision provide a strong foundation upon which to achieve NSET and its aim to strengthen Scotland’s position in new markets and industries. The first annual progress report on the delivery of NSET was published in June 2023, which summarises progress to date.