Category: International Trade

The Certificate of Origin (CoO) is an important international trade document which certifies that goods are wholly obtained, produced, manufactured or processed in a particular country. The current UK Certificates of Origin will be changing from 1st April. The CoO declare the ‘nationali... Read more

Business groups have welcomed the ‘Windsor framework’ deal announced on the 27th February, between the UK and EU over trading arrangements in Northern Ireland, which offer a considerable reduction in checks and documents to move goods across the Irish Sea and into the province. To avoid a ... Read more

Freeports are ‘customs free zone’, areas within the UK’s customs territory, with different customs and tax rules, which aim to promote trade and business by lowering duty, tax and paperwork costs. In March 2021, following the UK’s departure from the EU, the Government announced plans t... Read more

For almost three years shippers, forwarders and carriers, across all modes, have battled unparalleled global supply chain disruptions and, as the massive consumer driven volumes finally subsides, some suggest that the “new normal” is manifesting on a global scale. The desire for norma... Read more

The move by President Xi Jinping to lift China’s zero-COVID strategy and ease travel restrictions has raised hopes that it may soften the blow of higher global interest rates, unleashing production lines and unlocking supply chains after a turbulent three years. From the 8th January 2023&nbs... Read more

The Bank of England has predicted the UK’s recession may be the longest on record, but it is not expected to be deep and exports will play a critical role in shortening the downturn. The Secretary of State for International Trade, Kemi Badenoch, said earlier this month that we need to‘ge... Read more

Local economists insist that suggestions China production will migrate to Vietnam are overstated, despite workers not returning to factories operating in ‘closed loops’ and continuing lockdowns throughout China under the government's ‘zero COVID’ policy, most recently in Qingdao. But pr... Read more

Post-pandemic globalisation is not dead, but as China’s zero-COVID strategy continues it is evolving, as buyers reassess China sourcing risks and diversification and the alternative production capacity that India offers is badly needed, particularly given that Vietnam and much of Southeast Asia... Read more

The United Kingdom has an obligation to ensure that goods, technology or software are not exported into the wrong hands, or breach UK, UN or EU sanctions and anyone who exports goods or technology must comply with strict export control legislation. Compliance with export control legislation re... Read more

The weakening pound creates winners and losers in international trade, with UK exporters, manufacturers and popular brands looking cheap to overseas buyers, while importers face higher input costs, which adds to the UK’s inflationary cycle. Despite the pound rising to $1.14 - after falling t... Read more

With the pound sterling at it’s lowest level for decades, UK exports are incredibly good value to overseas buyers, we review the post-Brexit trade deals, to channel the UK’s competitive export sectors. The UK has signed trade deals and agreements in principle with 71 countries and one with... Read more

For over 40 years, spanning five decades, Metro has been managing and transforming outsourced supply chains for leading manufacturers and distributors globally, supported by the development of international business process outsource (BPO) operations since 1998. By taking responsibil... Read more