Egyptian exports to the United Kingdom rose 6.7% to around £1.52bn in 2025, up from £1.425bn in 2024, while Egyptian imports from the UK declined 15.4%, turning the bilateral trade balance into a £195m surplus in Egypt’s favour, according to the Egyptian Commercial Service (ECS).
The UK is also Egypt’s second-largest foreign investor, with British investments reaching around £20.7 billion through approximately 2,156 companies operating across various economic sectors.
Against this backdrop, the ECS, affiliated with the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade, organised a virtual seminar to help Egyptian companies in the paper, printing, packaging, books and artistic works sectors expand their presence in the British market.
The seminar was organised by the ECS office in London, headed by Minister Plenipotentiary Commercial Wail Abdel Rahim, in cooperation with the Export Council for Printing, Packaging, Paper, Books and Artistic Works.
Held on 5 August, the event brought together representatives of around 20 Egyptian companies and aimed to prepare participating exporters for the first Paper and Tissue Show London, scheduled for 11–12 November 2026 at ExCeL London.
The exhibition will showcase paper, tissue, hygiene products, packaging and converting technologies.
The seminar forms part of the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade’s efforts, under Minister Mohamed Farid Saleh, to expand Egyptian exports, diversify the country’s exporter base, open new international markets and maximise the benefits of existing trade agreements.
Sarah Ibrahim, Executive Director of the Export Council, highlighted the importance of specialised events in familiarising Egyptian companies with opportunities in international markets and the technical and regulatory requirements for accessing them.
She said the council has recently stepped up its activities in several foreign markets, including Morocco, where it organised a trade mission, and plans to intensify its activities in the US and UK markets during the second half of 2026.
Abdel Rahim presented an overview of Egypt-UK trade indicators, British production and imports, and Egyptian exports of paper, printing and packaging products to the UK between 2022 and 2025.
He identified China, Germany and several European Union countries as the main competitors for Egyptian exporters in the British market.
Abdel Rahim also highlighted the Egyptian-British Partnership Agreement, which governs trade relations between the two countries following the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union and provides preferential tariff treatment for most eligible Egyptian industrial exports.
The seminar also reviewed the technical requirements for entering the British market, with particular emphasis on importers’ growing focus on sustainability and recycling in line with the UK’s environmental and regulatory standards.
Participants were also briefed on major distribution channels, specialised trade exhibitions in the UK and the growing role of e-commerce, which could provide Egyptian companies with additional opportunities to reach buyers directly.
Sally Ayad, General Manager of the Egyptian British Chamber of Commerce, outlined the chamber’s services for Egyptian companies seeking to enter the UK market.
These include virtual and in-person business matchmaking, identifying companies’ competitive advantages compared with suppliers from other countries, and providing marketing support through websites and social media platforms.
Abdel Aziz El Sherif, First Undersecretary at the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade and Head of the ECS, said the ministry and its Commercial Representation Office would continue strengthening coordination with export councils and the business community.
He added that the government would expand sector-specific events aimed at helping Egyptian exporters better understand the requirements of target markets and maximise the benefits of existing trade agreements.
El Sherif said these efforts are intended to increase Egyptian exports, broaden the number of companies benefiting from Commercial Representation services, strengthen the competitiveness of Egyptian products and translate opportunities in international markets into export deals and contracts.
