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<p>Services are the predominant driver of the UK economy, contributing 80% of Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) in 2019 and employing over 26 million people (approximately
80% of total employment). Our Free Trade Agreement (FTA) programme continually seeks
a gold standard in services and digital trade, providing greater access to overseas
markets for UK service businesses and making it easier to trade digitally.</p><p>
</p><p>Using our newly independent seat at the World Trade Organization (WTO), the
UK is also actively engaged in a range of multilateral and plurilateral fora designed
to further liberalise trade in services and create global rules for digital trade.
Alongside the WTO, the UK also uses other multilateral groups such as the G7 and G20
to drive forward our ambitious trade agenda. Most recently, the UK led the G7’s first
ever ‘trade track’, bringing countries together to agree a set of ground-breaking
Digital Trade Principles.</p><p> </p><p>The Department also has a range of programmes
designed to help British companies export. The recently announced Export Strategy
outlines our ambition for trade in services, supported by promoting the role of services
and digital trade within our FTA negotiations. Export campaigns such as in Financial,
Professional and Business Services and the Creative Industries encourage companies
nationwide to increase services exports and the Digital Exporting Programme is helping
UK companies increase exports through digital commerce.</p>
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