On 16 September 2024, high-level officials of the European Union and United States met to review how work has progressed under the EU-US Trade and Technology Council (TTC) since the ministerial meeting of April 2024 in Leuven, Belgium. The two sides took stock of the progress on joint work under way in various TTC working… Read more
The UK – Southeast Asia Trade Digitalisation Pilots (TDP) is a public-private funded project that has facilitated digitalised shipments between the UK, Singapore, and Thailand. The UK government appointed the British Chamber of Commerce Singapore, with support and co-funding from industry partner LogChain, to deliver the project. The TDP builds on the success of the first… Read more
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is flagship project of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, a blueprint for attaining inclusive and sustainable development across the continent over the next 50 years. It aims to boost intra-African trade by providing a comprehensive and mutually beneficial trade agreement among the State Parties covering trade in goods and… Read more
The Digital Standards Initiative (DSI) of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) is on a mission to digitalise global trade by addressing some of the biggest challenges facing governments, businesses and people today. Among the four challenges1we have identified, perhaps the steepest one is around standards for interoperability. With hundreds of electronic and digital standards… Read more
With trade in goods valued at £1.7 trillion and services valued at £896 billion, trade matters to the economy. The UK has a unique opportunity to drive economic growth and improve productivity, by digitalising international trade, reducing bureaucracy, and leveraging the Electronic Trade Documents Act 2023 (ETDA). As the first G7 economy to remove legal… Read more
On 27 August, the EU and China launched the first discussions under the new Cross-Border Data Flow Communication Mechanism. Sabine Weyand, director-general of DG Trade at the European Commission, met with Vice-Minister Wang Jingtao of the Cyberspace Administration of China to formally launch the new mechanism. The mechanism will focus on practical solutions to address problems… Read more
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced the agency’s 2024-2025 plan to accelerate testing and adoption of global interoperability standards, kicking off a new testing phase for innovative trade technology. The agency will work with private and public sector partners during the 2024 testing phase this fall, leading up to international testing in 2025. Interoperability… Read more
For the past few years, work has been underway to harness emerging technologies such as blockchain, smart contracts, the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the insurance industry. The technologies can be harnessed to digitalise cargo insurance documentation. However, one of the barriers to adopting and using digital alternatives is the legal… Read more
The following communication, dated 26 July 2024 is being circulated at the request of Australia, Japan and Singapore as Co-Convenors on behalf of the participants of the Joint Statement Initiative on Electronic Commerce. We recognise the importance of global electronic commerce and the opportunities it creates for inclusive trade and development, and the important role… Read more
The e-book provides an in-depth look at the evolving digitalization in trade finance. It discusses how digital solutions are transforming traditional trade processes, improving efficiency, transparency, and security. Key technologies covered include blockchain, artificial intelligence, and electronic documentation, which help streamline operations like payments and risk management. The guide also explores the benefits of adopting… Read more