The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has reported that the convictions of hundreds of postmasters have been quashed on 24 May2024 following Royal Assent of the Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Act 2024. The DBT and the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) have released an open letter to postmasters whose convictions were quashed addressing the issues of financial redress and criminal records. The DBT and MoJ will be in touch with relevant postmasters by the end of July 2024.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has completed the fourth round of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with South Korea, held in London from 10-21 March 2025. The talks focused on rules of origin for key export sectors, digital trade provisions, and cooperation commitments covering environment and gender equality. The negotiations aim to upgrade the existing FTA framework governing the £15.3bn trade relationship. The fifth round is scheduled for Summer 2025 in Seoul. The government maintains its position that any agreement must align with UK national interests and protect National Health Service standards.

The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) has announced that the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is seeking participants to test a prototype of its updated Payment Practices and Performance reporting service, comprising new features and improvements. This follows the Reporting on Payment Practices and Performance (Amendment) Regulations 2024, SI 2024/444, which came into force on 5 April 2024 and introduced additional reporting requirements, effective from 1 January 2025. The DBT is now updating its online service to accommodate these new requirements, with testing scheduled for December 2024.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has announced changes to the UK's steel safeguard measures, effective from 1 July 2025, following recommendations from the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA). The revised measures will implement tighter controls on steel imports through capped import levels and stricter country-specific quotas. The changes aim to protect domestic producers while maintaining supply chain security. The Department has simultaneously launched a Call for Evidence to shape new trade measures after the current safeguard expires in June 2026. The decision follows formal WTO engagement initiated on 24 June 2025 through a letter to the TRA outlining the government's intended approach.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has announced that it will conduct usability research to assess the accessibility and inclusivity of the Payment Practices and Performance Reporting Service. DBT is seeking participants who use the service as part of their role and who are neurodiverse, particularly individuals with dyscalculia or dyslexia, as well as those who are blind or visually impaired and use assistive technologies. The research sessions will take place between 3 and 13 March 2026. During these sessions, participants will be asked to complete routine tasks on the service, including searching for, viewing, downloading and publishing reports, while researchers observe and ask follow-up questions.

The Department of Business and Trade (DBT) has published updated versions of the Code of Practice on Industrial Action Ballots and Notice to Employers and the Code of Practice on Picketing. The revisions reflect changes introduced by the Employment Rights Act 2025 (ERA 2025), which came into force on 18 February 2026. These changes include the removal of provisions on picketing supervision, the abolition of the 50% turnout threshold for ballots and amendments to the notice requirements for industrial action ballots.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has issued an update to the statutory guidance on the Growth Duty following the conclusion of a consultation. The guidance provides greater clarity to support regulators in their application of and reporting against the Growth Duty, which requires regulators to have regard to the desirability of promoting economic growth alongside the delivery of protections.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has published updated guidance on the Price Marking Order 2004, SI 2004/102, revising the definitions of ‘selling price’ and ‘unit price’, and introducing a new definition for ‘deposit’. The guidance also introduces Article 7A, which requires retailers to clearly display multiple selling prices—such as those linked to loyalty discounts or multi-buy offers—alongside the relevant conditions for accessing those prices.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has updated its guidance on the use of UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) marking on products manufactured or handled by businesses in Great Britain. The government intends to legislate to continue recognition of EU requirements, including the European confirmity (CE) marking, indefinitely for a range of product regulations. This will mean businesses have the flexibility to use either the UKCA or CE marking to sell products in GB. A new Fast-Track provision is introduced which will allow manufacturers to place products on the GB market where they meet the EU essential requirements and, where required, have been conformity assessed by an EU recognised conformity assessment body. To benefit from this provision manufacturers will need to affix the UKCA marking (in a way that is allowed) and draw up the UK declaration of conformity, listing compliance with the relevant EU legislation. This also means that where products fall within multiple regulations, a mixture of both UKCA and CE conformity assessment procedures can be used.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has updated its guidance on countering Russian sanctions evasion with a new section 6 focusing on export controls licensing in relation to the Common High Priority List (CHPL). The update provides specific guidance on export control requirements concerning CHPL items, resulting in the renumbering of the existing 'Additional Resources' section to section 7.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has updated certain the forms to apply for an exemption for a proportion of the indirect costs of funding the Contracts for Difference (CfDs), renewables obligation and small scale feed-in tariffs.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has updated the guidance on complying with professional and business services sanctions related to Russia. The changes were made to align with amendments to Regulation 54D.