In terms of other practical implications, we can start with our commitment to the rules, being that we
are still in the EU, and obligations to
the EU membership continue until
such time as we leave. The UK has
always been and will continue to be
a very good sort of corporate citizen
in the EU. In practical terms too, as
a traveler I doubt any Americans will
tell a difference. We were never in
the Schengen common travel area,
so we’ve always had control over our
own borders. In that sense nothing
has changed, and we don’t expect
anything to change in terms of the
experience for a business or tourist
traveler from the US.
business community as a whole, but
what I can say is that more than half
the staff at the consulate are members of a parent department called
Department of International Trade
and the Department of International
Trade was established as a self-standing government department immediately after the EU referendum, and
it’s elevated us to focus on the trade
and investment relationships. It also
means we now have a Secretary of
State and foreign ministers who are
exclusively focused on ensuring that
we get the best from our trade and
investment relationships. So, the US
is absolutely an important priority
for us. We have got a Secretary of
State for Trade and four ministers;
Sara: How is the UK’s business
three of whom have been here to the
community positioning itself to help
US within two months of the departAmericans who are interested in doing ment being set up, so we are aligning
business in the UK?
all of our political fire power behind
growing and deepening our trade
The Honorable Karen Bell: and investment relationships. The
Well, I can’t speak for the British other thing I would say is that the
Department of International Trade
works in close partnership with a
number of other organizations and
presence here in Houston. For instance, the British American British
Council (BABC), which is a member
organization which exists to promote
the interest of its member companies,
are very active here to help create
introductions and settling into the
market for UK companies who want
to grow their businesses here. We
also work closely with Scottish Development International (SDI) who
have an office in the Energy Corridor and also with the Energy Industries Council (EIC) who also have an
office here in Houston. So, there are
lots and lots of support for companies who are either looking to grow
their pipeline of exports to the US
from the UK or for companies based
here in Houston who are looking to
internationalize by investing in the
UK. And of course we are always
pleased to hear from any of them!
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