Small-scale business upholding international trade treaty in countryside working (7,8)
I believe the answer is:
cottage industry
'small-scale business' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'countryside working' is the wordplay.
'countryside' becomes 'cottage' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'working' becomes 'industry' (being industrious or hard-working).
'cottage'+'industry'='COTTAGE INDUSTRY'
'upholding international trade treaty in' acts as a link.
This may not be right. Some or all of it may be part of another bit of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for cottage industry that I've seen before include "Working from home" , "country practice" , "Small business" , "small-scale business" , "homework" .)