The British Chambers of Commerce, in partnership with moneycorp, surveyed more than 1,000 UK firms to understand the impact of both Covid-19 and Brexit on UK businesses. As Europe still comes to terms with a new post-Brexit landscape, many businesses are now evaluating what the new processes will mean for trade between the UK and the continent. In the South of England, the survey had 313 respondents, of which a relatively low 29% of businesses have plans for international gro

The World Customs Organization (WCO) is proud to announce the release of its new online tool, www.wcotradetools.org, which compiles information to support international trade actors in the classification of goods and the determination of the corresponding Customs tariffs and taxes. This new database offers a single point of access to the Harmonized System, preferential Rules of Origin and Valuation, through a completely new, user-centric and ergonomic interface. In addition

Free trade helped build Britain. It created jobs, businesses and entire industries, bringing wealth and prosperity to the UK and transforming the country into an economic powerhouse. Today free and fair trade and the global trading system which supports it are under attack both at home and abroad. Yet there can be few things more important than championing free and fair trade, rooted in our values of sovereignty, democracy, the rule of law and a fierce commitment to high stan

On the 11 March, due to the unprecedented challenges businesses have faced during the pandemic, the government announced a six-month delay to the introduction of full import border controls. This new timetable for introducing import border control processes will enable UK businesses to focus on their recovery from the COVID pandemic as well as the unforeseen challenges BREXIT has brought the UK’s importers. This means that full declarations won’t be needed at the time you imp

The £20 million SME Brexit Support Fund is now open for applications and enables traders to access practical support, including training for new customs, rules of origin and VAT processes. The SME Brexit Support Fund could give smaller businesses up to £2,000 to help with training or professional advice to help them adapt to new customs and tax rules when trading with the EU. Small and medium sized businesses that trade solely with the EU – and are therefore new to importing

Earlier this month, the Biden Administration's comprehensive immigration reform proposal, the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021, was introduced in the House and Senate. In this article, Littler's Jorge Lopez, Shareholder, Chair, Global Mobility and Immigration Practice Group and Elizabeth Whiting, Associate, give a brief overview of some of the more pertinent sections of this bill. Read the insights, shared courtesy of our BAB-NY chapter.

New US president Joe Biden has put plans for a UK-US trade deal on hold, it has been reported. The deal – supposedly progressing well under the Trump administration – may now not see the light of day until 2024, if at all, according to the Daily Telegraph. The publication said that the Biden administration had other priorities, with the focus on restoring America’s pandemic stricken economy and also relations with China. The US Democrats are also said to be ready to take the

The alcohol industry on Tuesday formed the Toasts Not Tariffs Coalition to advocate for the permanent removal of all U.S., European Union and United Kingdom tariffs on its products. Forty-seven associations in the sector have joined the coalition so far, representing producers, importers and wholesalers, as well as the restaurant and retail industry. The tariffs are in place in connection to steel and aluminum and Boeing and Airbus disputes. The U.S. and EU earlier this mont

With the Senate’s unopposed confirmation on Wednesday of U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, the retail industry has put forth a trade policy wishlist aimed at cutting tariffs on apparel imports. The issue of raised tariffs on finished goods imports from China has particularly vexed the clothing and apparel retail industry, which has argued that such import taxes lead to retailers transferring additional costs to consumers. During the prior administration of former Presi

British-American Business Council (BABC) Board Member and KPMG U.S. Principal Paul Harnick recently joined KPMG U.S.-U.K. Corridor Leader Howard Wiener and KPMG U.K.’s Michelle Quest for a discussion on the potential impact of the new U.S. administration’s policies and Brexit on BABC members’ business. Read the full conversation.