Welcome to the April BABN Policy and Trade Update.

The military operation against Iran has had a direct impact on businesses and consumers in both the U.S. and UK as energy costs rise and the halted transit of oil and goods through the Strait of Hormuz slows global trade. In both the U.S. and UK, this has placed energy policy back in the spotlight, which is an area BAB has consistently advocated for a sensible and pragmatic approach towards on both sides of the Atlantic. On a positive note, we welcome the UK government’s decision to overhaul nuclear planning and regulation to reduce costs and accelerate new projects.

We continue to monitor the outcome of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision overturning the reciprocal tariffs introduced under IEEPA. There are several new and ongoing Section 301 and 232 investigations that will likely result in new tariffs later this year. This includes a Section 301 investigation into whether several countries, including the UK, have a ban on the importation of goods produced with forced labor. BAB will providing a submission to the consultation on this topic.

See below for a breakdown of policy and trade headlines and our published works.

View the full April BABN Policy and Trade Update here