TradeLane

With the Brexit in full motion, the Britons should never have to worry about the infamous Euro-sausage ever becoming a threat to the English banger again. That should put many an Englishman at ease (watch the 1984 Christmas Special of the BBC’s “Yes Minister” if you are pondering the origin of this joke). The prospect of losing the liberty to fill up at the gas station though, is probably less of a laughing matter, especially if petrol and diesel powered vehicles have been a way of life for at least the last 60 years if not longer.

 Most exporters of technology products have learned in the past, either through good corporate governance or a knock on the door by their local export control enforcement authority, that encryption is a sensitive subject (pun intended).

Within the European Union, most items incorporating encryption are classified as dual-use goods (when not Military items) and are subject to Export Control.

Within the EU, French authorities extend control of encrypted items beyond the export process to import as well.  Cryptographic items can move freely within French territory. However, supplying, importing, or exporting encrypted items are regulated activities.

I originally wrote this blog back in 2013 and it’s as important now as it was then. The landscape has changed a little, with NAFTA now front and center, but good trade compliance is still good business!

When your organization is faced with compliance issues that never seem to go away, an objective review by a third party may allow your company to focus on the aspects of the business that you do best. Importers and exporters are held accountable for compliance with Customs requirements, and must use “reasonable care” in their international trade processes.

What does this mean, and how do you know when it’s time to engage a trade compliance expert?

A Rose by Any Other Name, or The Lack Thereof

For Shakespeare, a rose by any other name would smell as sweet; perhaps for lovers too. This, though, isn’t a love most customs authorities share, and for good reason.  Unfortunately, most businesses find themselves so heavily tied up with the “big ticket items” on the trade compliance pyramid that prioritising quality trade descriptions often becomes an afterthought.

Not to be downplayed, countries like the Philippines have strict customs rules regulating goods description where importers potentially face criminal sanctions and customs brokers risk suspension of their licenses for the offense of insufficient goods description on customs entry documents.

International affairs is on top of everyone's mind these days, especially as a new US administration transitions into power.  Questions about trade agreement, tariffs, and foreign policy swirl, and while no one has the ability to see into the future, a look at the actors, some of their statements, and some of the law behind it all may help companies at least prepare for the future state.