United Kingdom
Singapore and the United Kingdom (UK) share a longstanding and strong economic partnership, underpinned by strong trade and investment flows and extensive business linkages. Our economic partnership is anchored by the UK-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (UKSFTA).
Last updated on 12 November 2026
Singapore-United Kingdom Economic Relations
Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations Grace Fu with Then-UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade at the 2nd UK-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (UKSFTA) Committee meeting, June 2026.
Singapore and the United Kingdom share strong trade, services, and investment linkages across various sectors. The United Kingdom is among Singapore's top goods and services trading partners in Europe, while Singapore is the United Kingdom's top trading partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and serves as a gateway for British companies expanding into Southeast Asia.
Our partnership with the United Kingdom is underpinned by a robust architecture of economic agreements, including the United Kingdom-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (UKSFTA), the United Kingdom-Singapore Digital Economy Agreement (UKSDEA), and the United Kingdom-Singapore Green Economy Framework (UKSGEF).
Bilateral Agreements involving the United Kingdom
UK-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (UKSFTA)
The UKSFTA entered into force on 11 February 2021 and is the first comprehensive FTA between the UK and an ASEAN member state. Under the UKSFTA, Singapore and UK companies continue to enjoy benefits under the EUSFTA, such as tariff elimination for goods trade, increased access to their respective services and government procurement markets, and enhanced protection of intellectual property rights. The UKSFTA also provides greater market access and legal certainty for businesses operating across both markets.
UK-Singapore Digital Economy Agreement (UKSDEA)
The UKSDEA entered into force on 14 June 2022. It establishes high-standard rules to promote end-to-end digital trade between Singapore and the UK, providing greater legal certainty and clarity for businesses by enabling the open and secure flow of data across borders. The Agreement also covers a wide range of cooperative elements in emerging areas such as Artificial Intelligence, FinTech, and digital identities, reflecting both Singapore and the UK’s strong commitment to creating new growth opportunities for businesses in the digital economy.
UK-Singapore Green Economy Framework (UKSGEF)
The UKSGEF was signed on 1 March 2023 and outlines areas of cooperation under three pillars: (i) Green Transport; (ii) Low Carbon Energy and Technologies; and (iii) Carbon Markets and Sustainable Finance. Beyond the three pillars, the Framework also supports green collaboration between Singapore and the UK governments, academia, and the business community through activities such as enterprise matching, co-innovation, as well as green capability development for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Economic and Business Partnership (EBP)
Established in February 2011 and renewed in 2017, the EBP provides a platform for senior official-level engagement on trade and investment, business cooperation, research and innovation, and policy exchanges. To date, eight EBP Steering Committee meetings have been held since, the most recent on 25 September 2025 where discussions centred on global and regional trade, updates on bilateral agreements, and potential cooperation under the UK's Industrial Strategy.
Plurilateral Agreements involving the United Kingdom
Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)
The CPTPP Agreement contains commitments aimed at easing and growing trade and investment among its members. This includes eliminating tariffs on 94 to 99% of trade in goods, reducing non-tariff barriers, easing services and investment regulations, and establishing digital trade rules, among others. The CPTPP members collectively represent approximately 15% of global GDP.
International Platforms involving the United Kingdom
ASEAN–UK Dialogue Partnership
The UK was conferred ASEAN Dialogue Partner status on 2 August 2021. Both sides cooperate across the three ASEAN Community pillars, spanning trade and investment, digital transformation, sustainable growth, climate and clean energy, science and technology, education, cybersecurity, maritime cooperation, and transnational crime. Economic cooperation is advanced through regular ASEAN Economic Ministers-UK (AEM-UK) and ASEAN Senior Economic Officials Meeting-UK (SEOM-UK) consultations, as well as the ASEAN-UK Joint Ministerial Declaration on Future Economic Cooperation.
Commonwealth
Singapore and the UK are both members of the Commonwealth of Nations, which provides an additional platform for cooperation on trade and economic development, good governance, climate change, digital transformation, among other areas. Leaders engage biennially through the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). The Commonwealth Secretariat, which supports cooperation among member governments, is also headquartered in London.