Export to the EU after Brexit
- 3 steps
UK Act of Parliament
2021
United Kingdom
Trade Act 2021
At a glance
Enforced by
What's here
3 compliance obligations, 5 practical guides across 4 topics · 4 journeys
Penalty landscape
1 of 3 obligations carry up to 2 years imprisonment. 2 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.
Who this Act binds
Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.
- Any Person 1
Plus 2 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.
Step-by-step journeys using this legislation
Walkthroughs that take you from a real business situation to compliance.
Start exporting from the UK
- 3 steps
Manage your export compliance
- 1 step
Grow your tech business
- 2 steps
Relevant guidance
Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.
Supporting — topic alignment
5 guidesOther Acts binding the same actors
For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.
Any Person also bound by 2338 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Human Medicines Regulations 2012 2012 169 duties
- Merchant Shipping Act 1995 1995 144 duties
- Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 2016 101 duties
- Road Traffic Act 1988 1988 95 duties
- Air Navigation Order 2016 2016 95 duties
What this Act requires
Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.
Part 1 — International trade agreements
Browse 5 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Part 2 — The Trade Remedies Authority
Provision of advice, support and assistance by the TRA
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- TRA must provide trade advice and impact analysis to the Secretary of State Statutory regulator
Browse 1 other section in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Part 3 — The Trade and Agriculture Commission
Browse 4 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Part 4 — Trade information
Offence relating to disclosure under section 14
2 years imprisonment- Wrongly disclose confidential personal information Any Person
Browse 3 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Part 5 — General
Browse 4 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Schedules
The Trade Remedies Authority
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Trade Remedies Authority must maintain accounts and undergo audit Statutory regulator
Browse 70 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
Regulations under Part 1
Transfer schemes
Restrictions on devolved authorities
(1) No provision may be made by a devolved authority...
(1) No regulations may be made by a devolved authority...
(1) The consent of a Minister of the Crown is...
(1) No regulations may be made under section 1(1) or...
(1) No regulations may be made under section 1(1) or...
A provision is within the devolved competence of the Scottish...
A provision is within the devolved competence of the Welsh...
A provision is within the devolved competence of a Northern...
In this Schedule, a “Northern Ireland devolved authority” means the...
(1) Any power to make regulations under Part 1 of...
(1) A statutory instrument containing regulations of a Minister of...
(1) This paragraph applies to regulations of a Minister of...
(1) A statutory instrument containing regulations of a Minister of...
(1) This paragraph applies to regulations of a Minister of...
A statutory instrument containing regulations of the Secretary of State...
Exceptions to restrictions in the devolution settlements
Section 57(2) of the Scotland Act 1998, section 80(8) of...
(1) The TRA is not to be regarded—
The Chair may remove a person from office as an...
The TRA must pay to non-executive members of the TRA...
The TRA must pay to executive members of the TRA...
The TRA must pay, or make provision for paying, to...
The TRA must pay, or make provision for paying, to...
If a person ceases to be a non-executive member of...
If a person ceases to be an executive member of...
Paragraphs 18 to 23 apply in respect of a person...
The terms and conditions of a person's appointment as chief...
If the first Chair has not been appointed, a person...
(1) The TRA is to consist of—
The Secretary of State may remove a person from office...
The TRA must pay to a person appointed as chief...
The TRA must pay, or make provision for paying, to...
If a person ceases to be the chief executive of...
(1) The TRA may— (a) appoint employees, and
(1) The TRA may establish committees, and any committee so...
The TRA may determine its own procedure and the procedure...
The validity of any proceedings of the TRA is not...
(1) The TRA may delegate any of its functions to—...
The Secretary of State must pay to the TRA such...
A person holds and vacates office as a member of...
(1) The TRA must— (a) keep proper accounts and proper...
(1) The TRA must prepare a report on the performance...
(1) The application of the TRA's seal must be authenticated...
(1) The TRA may do anything which appears to it...
(1) In performing its functions, the TRA must have regard...
In Part 2 of the Table in paragraph 3 of...
In Schedule 2 to the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 (departments...
In Part 2 of Schedule 1 to the House of...
In Part 2 of Schedule 1 to the Northern Ireland...
In Part 6 of Schedule 1 to the Freedom of...
The terms and conditions of a person's appointment as a...
In Part 1 of Schedule 19 to the Equality Act...
The terms and conditions of a person's appointment as an...
The terms and conditions of a person's appointment may cover,...
A person may resign from office as a non-executive member...
A person may resign from office as an executive member...
The Secretary of State may remove a person from office...
(1) The Secretary of State may make one or more...
(1) A staff transfer scheme may, among other things, make...
For the purposes of this Schedule— (a) an individual who...
Trade and Agriculture Commission: public authorities legislation
In Part 2 of the Table in paragraph 3 in...
In Schedule 2 to the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 (departments...
In Part 2 of Schedule 1 to the House of...
In Part 2 of Schedule 1 to the Northern Ireland...
In Part 6 of Schedule 1 to the Freedom of...
In Part 1 of Schedule 19 to the Equality Act...
Official guidance
Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.
- UK Export Finance (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- DBT export support (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Export market guides (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Apply for an Advance Origin Ruling (opens in a new tab) from HMRC Detailed Guidance
- UK-EU TCA rules of origin introduction (opens in a new tab) from HMRC Detailed Guidance
- UK trade agreements in effect (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- UK Trade Tariff (opens in a new tab) from HMRC Detailed Guidance
- Check your goods meet the rules of origin (opens in a new tab) from HMRC Detailed Guidance
Enforcement and responsible bodies
The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.
The Pensions Regulator
Regulates workplace pensions, defined benefit schemes, and master trusts. All employers must auto-enrol eligible workers into a workplace pension. Enforces employer duties …
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Browse legislation
Find other UK business legislation with related guidance.
Regulators
Learn more about the bodies that enforce this legislation.