David Henig
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: +44 79 50 099 059
Areas of Expertise: European Union EU Single Market EU Trade Agreements North-America Services WTO and Globalisation

David Henig is Director of the UK Trade Policy Project. A leading authority on the development of UK Trade Policy post Brexit, he places this in the context of developments in EU and global trade policy on which he also researches and writes.
David joined ECIPE in 2018 having worked on trade and investment issues for the UK Government for a number of years, in particular engaging extensively on US-EU talks around the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, on global issues around the US and China, and latterly helping to establish a UK trade policy capability after the 2016 Brexit referendum. He also writes a regular column for the online trade policy professionals news service Borderlex, advises a Parliamentary committee and the UK Trade and Business Commission, and appears regularly in media and at events to discuss latest developments. During the most intense phases of Brexit, he established with a number of other UK specialists a network of expertise under the UK Trade Forum banner.
Prior to working in Government, David worked in consulting and business development, having graduated from Oxford University. Collectively all of this experience is brought together in the project examining and evaluating the UK’s performance in preparing for and delivering effective trade policy.
ECIPE Policy Briefs
Negotiating Uncertainty in UK-EU Relations: Past, Present, and Future
Ten key points to negotiating the UK-EU relationship Europe has been weakened by difficult UK-EU relations at a time of international challenge. Eight years after the Brexit referendum a new UK government and European Commission provides a good opportunity to reset approaches and put obstructions aside. Too big for either side to ignore, this will always be an important, time-consuming, and slightly chaotic relationship – which thus needs a much firmer footing...
ECIPE Policy Briefs
Building a Mature UK Trade Policy
Global Britain has not delivered according to the hopes expressed by supporters of leaving the EU. Trade with the rest of the world has not grown to make up for leaving a bloc with seamless trade, early Free Trade Agreements with Australia and New Zealand are of minor economic significance, and it is hard to discern much of a strategy beyond completing a few more similar deals. Meanwhile the world of trade policy is transformed since 2016, negatively. The US...
New Globalisation
The New Globalisation: SMEs and International Trade – The Supply Chain is as Important as Direct Exports
The disproportionately small share of exports from Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) is a cause of concern in modern trade policy. For developed countries, they typically account for over 95% of all businesses, two-thirds of the labour force, yet less than 50% of economic activity, and under a third of total export value. There is a compelling global narrative which argues we are missing a major economic opportunity. Conventional policy responses have been to...
UK Project
Time for Fresh Thinking on Northern Ireland and Brexit
The Good Friday / Belfast Agreement became, with considerable efforts over several years from so many involved, a broadly accepted if never fully stable political framework for Northern Ireland. A year after implementation, the prospect of the Northern Ireland Protocol delivering similar results is diminishing. Instead, there is a risk it entrenches divisions in which all sides believe others, not themselves, must be the ones to compromise most. Such divisions...
Media Mention
Is Britain really inching back towards the EU?
David Henig believes the UK-EU summit is a step forward, enhancing trade ties rather than making drastic changes, via BBC.
Media Mention
Lower US tariffs on UK exports unlikely to take effect for weeks, say British officials
David Henig criticises rushed UK-US trade deal, leaving businesses uncertain about implementation details via Financial Times.
Media Mention
In U.K.-U.S. trade deal, hormone-fed beef is off the menu
David Henig notes that Britain prioritises aligning with EU food standards over U.S. standards via The Washington Post.
Media Mention
Will Trump’s film tariffs mean lights, camera, inaction for the world’s studios?
David Henig questions the feasibility and enforcement of a film tariff via South China Morning Post.
Article
Perspectives – De minimis: European politicians forget consumers, SMEs
David Henig writes his "Perspectives" column for Borderlex about how de minimis reforms risk harming SMEs, consumers, favoring large EU businesses.
Article
Progress made ahead of UK-EU Summit
David Henig writes for the UK Trade & Business Commission on how UK-EU relations are progressing ahead of the May summit.
Article
Perspectives: Brussels needs to convene a Conversation of the Willing
David Henig writes his Perspectives column for Borderlex on how Trump's trade pause demands EU leadership to restore global trade rules.
Article
How Trump’s tariffs threaten UK identity
David Henig writes for CGTN on the UK faces challenge balancing US ties, EU trade, public scepticism.
Book or Paper
Northern Ireland’s Triple Treaty Trade Ambiguity
David Henig writes for the Centre for Cross Border Studies on the ambiguity around Northern Ireland's future trade status
Speech or Presentation
UK-US DEAL SPECIAL: Bluffer’s Guide to a Bluffer’s Deal
David Henig discusses UK-US trade deal uncertainties, regulations, and implications for the Quiet Riot Podcast.
Speech or Presentation
US and China hold trade talks in Switzerland
David Henig speaks about the trade war between the world's two biggest economies China and the USA for RNZ.
Speech or Presentation
What cards does China hold?
David Henig talks at BBC's The Briefing Room about Trump-China trade war escalating.
Speech or Presentation
Trump ‘doesn’t necessarily believe in a win-win deal’
David Henig speaks with Sky's Mark Austin about a possible US-UK trade deal.