Overseas business risk
Information for UK businesses on political, economic and security risks when trading overseas.
The overseas business risk service provides information on various risks in overseas markets. UK government staff in country produce these guides. They provide information on potential business risks including:
- political and economic issues
- bribery and corruption
- human rights
- terrorism and security
- intellectual property
We intend these pages to support and guide businesses. You should view them alongside other sources of information. The UK government does not advise on, or undertake due diligence for individual companies.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, if you have a business enquiry relating to the situation in Ukraine, contact the export support team. You should also continue to check FCDO travel advice.
For Russia, find out more about sanctions relating to Russia, which includes links to statutory guidance on Russia sanctions and the latest UK Sanctions List. If you have specific questions, contact the export support team.
Assistance for exporters
Other sources providing additional help for exporters include:
- export opportunities: advice on exporting to different markets
- the UK’s official export credit agency for finance and insurance assistance
- check for barriers to trading and investing abroad for reported barriers to trading with your chosen market
- trade and investment factsheets: a snapshot of the UK’s trade and investment positions with individual trading and investment partners overseas
- economic factsheets: summarise key economic and development data for over 180 economies
For further information on trading overseas see:
- UK trade agreements: guidance on trade agreements the UK has concluded with non-EU countries
- travel advice: foreign travel advice for the latest guidance on travelling abroad, including information on coronavirus, safety and security, entry requirements and travel warnings
- intellectual property: advice on protecting your intellectual property abroad
- human rights: latest UK guidance and regulation on human rights internationally
- protective security: read the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) website and Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI) website for UK government guidance on staying safe in the UK and abroad
Contact us
Contact overseas.businessrisk@fcdo.gov.uk if you have comments or questions about these pages.
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Updates to this page
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Overseas business risk report for Ethiopia added to collection.
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'Doing business in Ethiopia: guidance on exporting and business risks' added to collection.
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Overseas business risk assessment for Armenia added. 26 June 2023.
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Updated to include additional links to guidance for businesses
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Overseas Business Risk - Uruguay updated.
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Guinea guidance added
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Overseas Business Risk for Bolivia added
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Senegal page added
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Burma and Jamaica market profiles added to the Overseas Business Risk service
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Updated Cyprus profile added to OBR service; added new link to Nigeria's new profile
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New Ireland market profle added to Overseas Business Risk webservice
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New link added for Canada's overseas business risk profile
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New links added for new Cambodia and Afghanistan OBR reports
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NEW Morocco OBR added to Africa collection
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New Paraguay OBR page added to the Americas collection
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Overseas Business Risk documents for Cuba
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NEW Suriname and Guyana OBR reports added to the collection
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Overseas Business Risk documents for Costa Rica and Nicaragua added.
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Additon of FCO Economic factsheets to further reading for market information.
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Two new country profiles added - Cayman Islands and Papua New Guinea
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Added Norway
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Added Overseas Business Risks, Zambia document
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First published.
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Gabon, Peru
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intellectual property abroad
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China update
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Namibia and Argentina
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change to ordering
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bahrain and cote d'ivoire
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Added Luxembourg
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Thailand and Poland Updates
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July update for Russia and Ukraine
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Updated Mauritius page 15 July
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Mauritius Update - July 14 2014
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Overseas Business Risk - Hong Kong
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Updated links
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Link to FCO Political and Economic Updates