It has been one of the most significant years for global trade in decades, with an overhaul of US trade policy and a range of downstream debates, deals and tariff spats. But which stories most caught the eye of the Daily Update readership in 2025?
1. Our Trump tariff live updates
In news that will come as little surprise, our rolling coverage of US president Donald Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs was our most popular news story this year. It has been the major story of international trade this year, and there has been a deluge of news throughout the year, from auto and pharmaceutical levies in February, through the ‘reciprocal tariff’ announcement in April, and the many deals that have since been struck – and others which have wobbled – in the months since. This could well feature at the top of 2026’s most-read stories too.
2. What is de minimis, and why is Trump axing it?
In the summer, Trump brought forward plans to remove the ‘de minimis’ customs duty exemption for imports to the US under the value of US$800. The exemption was removed from 29 August, two years earlier than previously planned. Not only did this mean new duties on goods previously exempt, but with all imports to the US now subject to customs clearance, there was a real prospect of delays and supply chain hold-ups, warned Chartered Institute expert Lyn Dewsbury.
3.UK government slashes import tariffs on 89 products to help firms navigate Trump’s tariff war
The UK has had its own story to tell on US tariffs this year, as it was one of the first nations to agree a tariff reduction deal with the Trump administration. But the government also took unilateral action to help businesses deal with the challenges raised by the tariffs – in April it suspended the UK Global Tariff on imported goods from plywood and plastic to pasta and plant bulbs.
4. Final implementation of Windsor Framework arrangements set for 1 May
The Windsor Framework was a major story in 2024 and remained so in 2025, with the implementation of a raft of changes as part of the agreement in May. Among the most significant were changes to rules for parcels moving between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. You can read more on that in our ‘The Year in Customs’ feature from earlier this week.
5. Our Import Export Show coverage
This year’s Import Export Show was the biggest edition of the event so far, and the Chartered Institute convened experts from business and government for a day of discussion and networking in London. Our relaunched news coverage format, ‘The Day in Trade’, covered all the most interesting developments, including an exploration of the role of mindset in global trade.
6. How could the UK-EU Common SPS Area progress?
In October, our Trade Insights series examined the degree of progress made so far on establishing a Common Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Area for goods between the UK and EU – a major pledge at this year’s ‘reset’ summit. It drew on the insights of a Chartered Institute report on the UK-EU relationship that looked at the ways trade could be boosted with Brussels. The full report is available here.
7. The rocky legal road facing Trump’s tariffs leads all the way to the Supreme Court
A major subplot of the Trump tariff story this year – and one which could come to dominate in 2026 – was the wrangle that continues in the US courts over their legality, which our member-exclusive Trade Insights series explored. After a three-judge panel ruled Trump did not have the authority he claimed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act 1977 (IEEPA) to enact the tariffs, an appeal set up another showdown in the courts that has yet to be fully resolved. One to watch.
8. Four expert insights on how the government’s AI plans could change UK trade
Near the start of the year, we looked at the implications of the government’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Opportunities Plan for trade, speaking to experts from the Chartered Institute and beyond on what it could mean. Collins Aerospace’s technology manager Sylwia Nowak told us that it could enable “smarter border operations” that “will not only enhance national security and facilitate trade, but are also in the best interests of the UK society”.
9. Chartered Institute veterans highlight value of military skills as organisation enters Career Transition Partnership
The Chartered Institute became a preferred supplier to the Career Transition Partnership (CTP) this year, which helps veterans make the switch from working in the armed forces to taking on a civilian role. Trade and customs consultant Ray Burgin told us that his own experience with the RAF had given him skills that lend themselves well to supply chain and logistics, including hands-on experience of the “physical movement of goods”.
10. Analysis: What the government’s Industrial Strategy means for trade
The government published a range of strategies this year, with the most significant perhaps the overall Industrial Strategy. In our analysis in June, our director general, Marco Forgione, said that the strategy set out a “much-needed long-term vision and clearly signals that the UK is open for business”. He particularly welcomed increased support through UK Export Finance (UKEF) “enhance assistance for businesses expanding overseas”, while public affairs lead Grace Thompson highlighted “the theme of utilisation and maximising potential which already exists”.
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