International Trade Update

The British Chambers of Commerce wrote this week to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) seeking a full investigation into the international shipping market as it affects UK businesses and inflation, following a survey and other data from the Chambers Network.

In some cases, shipping costs have risen seven-fold and availability continues to be patchy, principally from Asia-Pacific. We will keep you updated on the outcome of the CMA’s decisions.

The Cabinet Office is consulting upon two specific forms of engagement with business as required by the UK-EU Trade and Co-operation Agreement – a domestic advisory group (DAG) (meeting potentially every six months), and the Civil Society Forum (CSF) – a joint body with UK and EU stakeholders. This consultation is open for responses until 14 September.

Sanctions, including on export trade to Belarus, were announced by the UK government earlier this week. Financial services exports are now prohibited, alongside exports of certain goods, and the official guidance is here.

The UK government also confirmed the continuation, albeit with variations, of anti-dumping duties on welded pipes and tubes imported from China and Belarus. However previous remedies on those products from Russia will be allowed to expire.

The British Chambers of Commerce have published their new Trade Timelines infographics to keep you in touch with the key upcoming dates on GB-NI, UK-EU and UK-RoW trade developments and negotiations.

There’s also a table on the key trade deals the UK is currently negotiating. An Agreement in Principle with New Zealand is still on schedule for later in August.

The UK Home Office has produced a video to help employers with the new ‘right to work check’ process which began on 1 July 2021.

The video guides employers through the new process, including details of what applicant information and identity documents are required for each type of check and links to further information.