Trading with the EU: Opportunities, challenges and what’s next

What you’ll learn:

• The current state of the UK/EU relationship.
• Future opportunities around trading with the EU.
• Practical tips about exporting to the EU.

Description

Whether you are already exporting or considering your first sale into the EU, understanding the UK-EU trading environment is essential.

Join experts from the UK Government based in the EU, the British Chambers of Commerce and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges as they discuss the latest developments affecting UK businesses and the future relationship with the EU.

Half of the webinar will be a facilitated discussion with the experts, followed by an opportunity for all attendees to ask questions.

Speakers

Ceri Morgan CBE

His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Europe, Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade

Ceri Morgan was appointed His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Europe in September 2025. Ceri is responsible for encouraging trade and investment between UK and other European countries as well as Israel. Before that she led the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on international trade and international food security. Ceri was made a Commander of the British Empire for her services to capability and inclusion in international trade.

William Bain

Head of Trade Policy, British Chambers of Commerce

William is the Head of Trade Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, where he has been instrumental in advising on EU exit and the UK’s new trade and investment policies. Previously, William spent over ten years as an academic lawyer specialising in Constitutional and EU law and five and a half years as an MP (Glasgow North East).

Patrick Van Cauwenberghe
International Trade Networks Manager, Port of Antwerp-Bruges

Patrick is the Port of Antwerp-Bruges’s International Trade Networks Manager. Patrick has spent the majority of his career working within the port, Europe’s second largest. Through this experience he has developed extensive knowledge of international trade, logistics and supply-chain management, as well as a strong network with the diplomatic community in Brussels.

Richard Oppenheim
Director, Diplomatic Advisory Hub

Richard Oppenheim is Director of the Diplomatic Advisory Hub, a joint initiative between the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC). Housed at the BCC Headquarters in London, the Hub provides trusted, actionable FCDO geopolitical insight to businesses across the UK in support of the UK government’s growth mission.

Richard brings with him a wealth of diplomatic experience across some of the world’s most complex and strategically important markets in the Middle East, and Japan. Richard has served as the UK’s Ambassador to Yemen, as Deputy Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, and held diplomatic appointments in Iraq, Oman, New York and Japan.

Gail Braybrook
Deputy Director, Diplomatic Advisory Hub

Gail is Deputy Director of the Diplomatic Advisory Hub. Gail has represented the UK on trade in two sets of UK/EU negotiations, designed and implemented new trade models and led on initiatives to boost developing-country trade. She also has experience working on economics in the EU.

 
Caroline Read
Deputy Ambassador at the UK Mission to the EU, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Before joining the Mission in 2023, Caroline was Director for British Investment Partnerships at the FCDO. Previously, she was International Relations Director at the former Department for International Development (DFID), leading DFID’s work on international institutions. She has also worked at HM Treasury and in NGOs.