The 2020 reporting cycle for Canada’s Extractive Sector Transparency Measures Act (ESTMA) brought with it a unique and, in some respects, unexpected development. As mining companies and other extractive firms submitted their annual disclosures, a new category of payments began to feature in their reportsâ€â€community support contributions made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This […]
The buzz around fintech is hard to missâ€â€startups reimagining payments, banks, lending, and insurance, often outpacing traditional players in both innovation and customer adoption. But beneath the press releases and conference panels, the question for economists and policymakers is simple: how do you measure the real scale and trajectory of fintech growth? ISIC 6202, which […]
With the May 2021 enforcement date for the European Union’s Medical Device Regulation (MDR) drawing closer, manufacturers across the medical device sector have been taking stock of what the transition truly entails. The MDR, adopted back in 2017 but only now nearing full application, introduces a range of enhanced requirements. Among them, none perhaps is […]
The introduction of the U.K. Environment Bill in January 2020 signaled a decisive shift in how the government plans to regulate packaging waste and resource efficiency across fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and beverage industries. While the Bill itself remains under parliamentary consideration, its proposed provisions on extended producer responsibility (EPR) have already prompted companies to […]
The signing of Executive Order 13920 on January 25, 2020, represented a clear policy shift toward tighter domestic sourcing requirements in the name of national security and economic resilience. Intended to fortify critical infrastructure sectors, the order reinforces and expands the Buy America framework by placing greater emphasis on local content requirements for materials such […]
By 2019, the global race to expand renewable energy was visible not just in new solar farms or the skyline of wind turbines but also in the spreadsheets of economists and planners. Yet measuring real progressâ€â€and comparing it to national ambitionsâ€â€requires more than watching construction crews. ISIC 3510, the code for electric power generation, offers […]
The passage of Bill C-68, culminating in Royal Assent in June 2019, marked a significant development in Canada’s ongoing Oceans Protection Plan, particularly in how it intersects with supply chain transparency for marine-based industries. For fisheries and offshore energy firms, the implications of this legislative shift are slowly but surely becoming clearer as the focus […]
The International Trade Council announces that US President Donald Trump has officially signed the US Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA), which is set to replace the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). This new trade pact brings Trump’s campaign promise to replace the existing deal between the three countries closer to reality. The USMCA aims […]
The International Trade Council announces that the United States and China have signed an agreement to ease the trade war that has impacted global markets and the world economy. US President Donald Trump called the pact “transformative” for the US economy, while Chinese leaders described it as a “win-win” deal that would foster better relations […]
The enforcement of the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) has evolved in ways that few industry participants might have anticipated when the law first came into force in 2013. By the first half of 2019, authorities across member states had noticeably intensified their scrutiny of timber imports, particularly those originating from regions with well-documented risks of […]
Green finance is now a central theme in both public policy and private investment. The expansion of green bonds, sustainability-linked loans, and climate-focused equity products reflects growing demand for alignment between capital allocation and environmental objectives. Yet for all the momentum, one challenge remains persistent: how to reliably track where the money is going, and […]
The International Trade Council announces that the United States and China have signed an agreement to ease the trade war that has impacted global markets and the world economy. US President Donald Trump called the pact “transformative” for the US economy, while Chinese leaders described it as a “win-win” deal that would foster better relations […]
The passage of the U.S. FAIR Shipping Act in December 2019 marked an important, if somewhat underappreciated, development in the long-standing effort to introduce greater transparency into maritime freight operations. While the legislation attracted less public attention than some other trade measures of the year, those involved in shipping, port management, and logistics understood its […]
When the European Union revised Regulation 1107/2009 on the approval of pesticides in 2019, exporters of agricultural products to the EU found themselves facing a quietly disruptive shift. The core of the amendment centered around stricter enforcement on maximum residue limits (MRLs), particularly for cereals, fruits, and other high-volume imports where prior tolerances had been […]
Telehealthâ€â€virtual consultations, remote diagnostics, digital prescriptionsâ€â€felt like a novelty for most of the past decade. Before the pandemic thrust it into the spotlight, its growth was incremental, often limited to pilot projects or specialized clinics. For analysts trying to quantify this quiet shift, ISIC 8621 (General medical practice) provided both a starting point and a […]
The passage of the 2018 U.S. Farm Bill marked a significant turning point for the agricultural sector, particularly in relation to hemp. With hemp officially removed from the list of Schedule I controlled substances, the plant and its derivativesâ€â€whether destined for CBD extraction or industrial fiberâ€â€entered a regulatory limelight few could have anticipated a decade […]