When it comes to digitalising trade, the UK has done what few countries have: built the legal, policy, and innovation foundations of a modern, digital trading system. From the Electronic Trade Documents Act (ETDA) to the Digital Trade Test Bed in Teesside, the UK is showing ambition. Yet, as Jose Puyana, Transform’s Director of Trade & Growth, and Chris Booth, Senior Business Analyst, heard repeatedly at last week’s Action, Not Words conference, organised by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), this is the moment when pilots and potential must turn into connection and scale.
Progress worth celebrating
The conference brought together leaders from government and industry, all working to make trade simpler, faster, and more secure. What stood out most was just how much progress has already been made:
- The legal framework is in place. The ETDA gives electronic trade documents the same legal status as paper, unlocking opportunities worth an estimated £1.1 billion to the UK economy.
- The proof exists. Pilots with Singapore and Taiwan, among others show real results, such as faster shipments, reduced paperwork, and measurable cost savings.
- The partnerships are growing. Through initiatives like the Centre for Digital Trade and Innovation (C4DTI), the UK is collaborating with global partners to create interoperable trade corridors and shared standards.
- Innovation is everywhere. From electronic bills of lading to AI-powered customs tools, there’s no shortage of solutions and bold ideas.
The foundation is strong. The question now is how to connect it all.
The road ahead: connecting the dots
The ICC conference title — Action, Not Words — captured the mood perfectly. Progress is real, but momentum risks stalling if we don’t tackle a few persistent challenges:
1. Interoperability remains the missing link
Systems across departments, ports, banks, and logistics networks often can’t talk to each other. Without shared standards and governance, digital trade remains a collection of isolated success stories.
2. Adoption is lagging behind innovation
Only around 10% of large firms are using digital trade tools at scale. SMEs, who stand to benefit the most, still face complexity and cost barriers.
3. Government systems aren’t yet fully connected
Despite leadership from DBT and HMRC, integration between policy, delivery, and technology remains uneven. The pause of the Single Trade Window programme highlights the need for clearer architecture and collaboration.
4. Trust and confidence need to catch up.
For traders, data security, compliance, and legal clarity are critical. For government, measurable impact and international alignment matter most.
The opportunity for the UK
As a government representative put it during their closing remarks, digital trade must now be treated like “our modern COVID”, a collective national effort to stimulate growth and competitiveness through real action. That sense of urgency set the tone for the next stage. If the first phase of digitalisation was about proving technology, the next phase must be about connecting what works.
That means:
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Creating shared interoperability frameworks across departments and systems.
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Building adoption programmes that help SMEs and intermediaries join the digital journey.
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Strengthening international alignment so UK systems can exchange trusted data globally.
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Developing measurement frameworks that prove impact and keep reform accountable.
The UK has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to consolidate its leadership in digital trade by connecting its innovation ecosystem into a coherent model the world can learn from.
Turning ambition into action
At Transform, we see trade digitalisation not as a technology challenge but as a system design challenge. The UK has the innovation. What’s missing is the interoperability, governance, and adoption mechanisms that bring it all together.
Our work in trade has shown that the real value lies in turning policy and pilots into operational systems that businesses and government can actually use. That means helping departments design the architecture, frameworks, and user journeys that make digital trade practical, whilst building the confidence among traders to adopt it.
The foundations are in place. The benefits are proven. The partnerships are growing. Now it’s time — as the ICC conference reminded us — for action, not words.