The session examines the interests of businesses importing textiles from developing countries, as well as the relationship between gender and trade.

First Session

The Committee seeks the views of the textiles industry on the UK’s future trade policy, as well as issues relating to rules of origin (criteria needed to determine the national source of a product), support from the Departments of International Trade and Development, and the effects of trade on developing countries.

Second session

The Committee will also examine the relationship between gender and trade, following the recent World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference in Buenos Aires, which saw the publication of a joint Declaration on Trade and Economic Empowerment.

The Committee will hear from Action Aid Vietnam, the Gender and Development Network, and the Commonwealth Businesswomen’s Network about current gender and trade initiatives, the impact of trade on women, and harnessing existing networks to improve trade between the UK and Commonwealth countries.

Further details can be found on the Parliament.UK website.