“NI is home to world-class businesses that are thriving on the global stage”

Every corner of the United Kingdom is set to benefit from our new trade freedom, and Northern Ireland is no different.

From digital innovators to food producers, Northern Ireland is home to world-class businesses that are thriving on the global stage through their ingenuity and enterprise.

One of those success stories is First Derivatives. Having grown from its Newry headquarters into a billion-dollar technology company, known as a “tech unicorn”, the financial software giant now employs around 2,400 people across the world, with offices in Belfast, London, Tokyo and Seoul.

Meanwhile, Bangor-based firm Denman has become the UK’s largest manufacturer of hairbrushes, exporting to more than 60 countries including the United States and Japan. Their products were championed by Vidal Sassoon and are now used by thousands of hairdressers worldwide. We want more businesses to join them in seizing new opportunities overseas, which will help the whole UK build back better from coronavirus and drive a jobs-led economic recovery.

That’s why today, I am announcing four new Trade and Investment Hubs in cities across the UK, including here in Northern Ireland, which will bring support closer to local businesses and help deliver jobs and growth to all regions and nations of our United Kingdom.

Our top export and investment specialists will be working from Belfast, Cardiff, Darlington and Edinburgh to help local communities harness the opportunities emerging through our independent trade policy. These teams will maximise access for businesses to the Office for Investment and the Department for International Trade’s extensive network. By working closer with local businesses, they will prime them for success in vibrant markets such as the US, Japan and India.

The hubs are a key part of our strategy to take Northern Ireland’s trade to the next level, as we know that trade equals jobs. According to the Fraser of Allander Institute, UK exports supported around 129,000 jobs in Northern Ireland.

The tech industry alone in Northern Ireland supports around 28,000 jobs, representing more than one in five of Belfast’s professionals.

As you likely know, the UK’s largest cyber security research centre is based at Queen’s University Belfast. We are also boosting tech exports through our new Digital Trade Network for the Asia-Pacific region and our Tech Exporting Academy.

The deal I signed with Japan will turbocharge trade with the world’s third largest economy, allowing businesses to capitalise on a joint digital market, which is built on cutting-edge provisions protecting the free flow of data, source code and banning data localisation. We are helping Northern Ireland’s farmers and food and drink producers to flourish. Our deal with Japan secures reduced tariffs on pork and beef as well as processed foods. It also protects more of Northern Ireland’s produce through geographical indications, from Irish poteen and Armagh Bramley apples to Lough Neagh eels.

Meanwhile, we have recently agreed with the US to suspend tariffs on our exports of top-quality goods like Irish whiskey, which is good news for distillers like Bushmills and its workers in North Antrim. From Belfast to Bel Air, consumers will no doubt have celebrated with a dram. That builds on what we have achieved already to help Irish whiskey excel in crucial markets from Mexico to Singapore. By striking deals to preserve tariff-free trade, we have ensured that consumers can continue to appreciate their produce at good value.

Experience has taught us that free trade makes our nation great, reducing poverty on an unprecedented scale, lighting the spark for era-defining innovation and bringing great prosperity. In the 21st century, we are demonstrating the benefits of being a United Kingdom through free and fair trade generating a new wave of prosperity across our four nations. This is Global Britain in action.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper whenever you are able to do so.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper when you can safely.

You can also enjoy unlimited access to the best news from across Northern Ireland and the UK by subscribing to newsletter.co.uk

With a digital subscription, you can read more than five articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Thank you