TradeLane

As we are wrapping up 2015, we are looking forward to the new year and we bet you are, too.  As a gift, we have combined the most helpful TradeLane blogs of 2015. Sit down, grab a cup of coffee, and refresh yourself on some of the most helpful tips and tricks that we had to offer in 2015.

How often does anyone really get free money? When you buy something at the store only to find out that you need to fill out the card and mail it in to get the rebate. Most people think about it on the way home and then leave the card on their desk. 

But, what is the risk? You may end up giving some information to a company that probably already has your information. You may end up actually getting the money back. It is a minor investment of time to recoup some cash. An interesting statistic says that the majority of people who take advantage of rebates live in households that have an annual income of $100,000 or are between the ages of 35 to 64 and are women. Most of the rebates that go unfiled because of a technicality, it is not completed properly, or the man that gets it can’t be bothered to send it in.

I read another statistic that 70% of companies do not fully utilize trade agreements. When your country enters into a trade agreement with a country that you do business with, or want to do business with. What are your options? 

Recently the United States Trade Representative released the full text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

Many news articles have been covering the TPP concerns revolving around intellectual property, environment concerns and the loss of jobs. All for good reason. With the introduction of NAFTA, these are some of the issues that came to the forefront of the national conversation regarding free trade. These issues are definitely addressed in the agreement where collective bargaining rights and “acceptable conditions of work with respect to minimum wages” are demanded. However, in the words of the infamous Mike Tyson – everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.

But, what does this mean for the international trade community and tariff rates? Let’s jump right to the good stuff and focus on some of the largest duty rates to be eliminated.

First and foremost, I wanted to THANK our Customers and Colleagues around the world for the best year that Tradewin has ever had. 

Thanksgiving and the 4^th of July are my personal favorite holidays. Every year, I take off the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving. This tends to be one of the few times of the year when there are no Customs Audits, the budgets are done, and my phone is a little quieter. I have a tradition of getting lost in the woods with my dogs for hours during those days. It is quiet, the New England leaves are beautiful, and its gives me a chance to think about everything and nothing. The Germans have an elegant word for this… “Waldeinsamkeit”. Ok, maybe it isn’t that elegant, but it’s apt. 

As we work our way to the Holiday season and its frantic pace, don’t forget to take the time to pause, reflect, and think about what you have accomplished and what still needs to be accomplished. Then act. Never forget to act. 

If you need help along the way, give Tradewin a call. We are here to help.  

When traveling between the United States and Europe, one of the most startling differences that I observe is the concoctions that we put on our French fries. First of all, we can’t agree whether or not these delicious fried potatoes should be called fries, chips, or “freedom fries.” Once served to us, Americans love their ketchup, continental Europeans love their mayonnaise, and the occasional Brit won’t eat their chips without a particular brand of brown sauce named after Parliament. However, we all can agree that, while bad for you, fried potatoes are delicious. 

The EU and U.S. also mostly agree that international trade is a good thing. Trade stimulates job creation and incentivizes economic growth. Markets are often opened by the implementation of preferential trade agreements between two jurisdictions. The U.S. and EU are currently negotiating the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) to strengthen the ties between the two continents and to stimulate growth.