Become a Member

News

Download Our Latest International Trade Reports

Stay Updated with the Latest News from the International Trade Council and Our Members

EU and Mercosur Reach Landmark Trade Deal After Two Decades of Negotiations

June 28, 2019

The International Trade Council is thrilled to announce that the European Union (EU) and the South American economic bloc Mercosur have reached a monumental trade agreement after 20 years of negotiations. The deal represents the EU’s largest to date and demonstrates a commitment to rules-based trade amid ongoing trade tensions between the US and China. […]

India Imposes Retaliatory Tariffs on US Products

June 15, 2019

The International Trade Council acknowledges India’s decision to impose tariffs on 28 US products, including almonds and apples, effective from Sunday. These new duties, with some reaching as high as 70%, are a response to Washington’s refusal to exempt Delhi from higher taxes on steel and aluminum imports. Earlier this month, US President Trump announced […]

U.K. Modern Slavery Act (2015) – Ongoing Review & Emerging Best Practices (2019)

June 15, 2019

U.K. Modern Slavery Act (2015) – Ongoing Review & Emerging Best Practices (2019)

As the U.K. Home Office initiated its second formal review of the Modern Slavery Act in late 2019, many companies across sectors found themselves reflecting, perhaps with some unease, on the adequacy of their current compliance strategies. There has been, for some time, an undercurrent of frustration in certain corners of industry regarding the difficulty […]

UK Secures First Post-Brexit Free Trade Agreement with South Korea

June 10, 2019

The International Trade Council is pleased to announce that the United Kingdom has signed a preliminary free trade agreement (FTA) with South Korea, the first post-Brexit trade deal secured by the UK in Asia. The agreement seeks to maintain existing trade arrangements and provide stability under a no-deal Brexit scenario. International Trade Secretary Liam […]

US Terminates Preferential Trade Status for India Amid Tariff Dispute

June 1, 2019

The International Trade Council acknowledges President Donald Trump’s confirmation that the US will end preferential trade status for India next week. Until now, India has been the largest beneficiary of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program, which allowed $5.6 billion worth of exports to enter the US duty-free. In March, President Trump announced the […]

EU Tariff-Free Textile Quota Revision (May 2019) – Supply Chain Adjustments

June 1, 2019

EU Tariff-Free Textile Quota Revision (May 2019) – Supply Chain Adjustments

The May 2019 revision of the EU’s tariff-free textile quotas was a development that, while not entirely unexpected, prompted a flurry of recalibration across the apparel import sector. Many importers, already navigating a complex patchwork of preferential arrangements, found themselves needing to revisit sourcing strategies with little time to spare. The revision itself—intended, according to […]

US-China Trade War: Tensions Rising

May 29, 2019

In light of the ongoing US-China trade war, the International Trade Council is offering insights into potential strategies that Beijing could employ to destabilize President Trump’s approach. Drawing inspiration from Chinese history and ancient strategic manual The Art of War, we delve into a range of tactics that China could utilize in response to the […]

U.S. Executive Order on Strengthening the Cyber Supply Chain (Oct 2018) – Compliance Roadmap (2019)

May 15, 2019

U.S. Executive Order on Strengthening the Cyber Supply Chain (Oct 2018) – Compliance Roadmap (2019)

The cybersecurity landscape for federal contractors shifted markedly after the issuance of Executive Order 13800 on May 11, 2018. Though the order itself was broad in its directive—aiming to enhance the resilience of federal networks and critical infrastructure—it quickly became clear that its real teeth would be felt in the supply chains supporting those networks. […]

International Trade Council: “World Markets React to US-China Trade Tensions”

May 9, 2019

The International Trade Council is closely monitoring the impact of US-China trade tensions on global markets. As President Trump vows to double tariffs on $200bn of Chinese goods, stock markets worldwide have experienced significant losses. Japan’s Nikkei 225 index lost 1.5% on Wednesday, following a 1.8% drop in the Dow Jones. European markets also […]

Canada’s Tax Avoidance and Profit Shifting Legislation (Bill C-208, Mar 2019) – Supply Chain Financial Transparency

May 1, 2019

Canada’s Tax Avoidance and Profit Shifting Legislation (Bill C-208, Mar 2019) – Supply Chain Financial Transparency

When Bill C-208 received Royal Assent in June 2019, it marked a notable shift in Canada’s stance on tax avoidance and profit shifting, particularly where cross-border supply chains are concerned. The changes it introduced, especially to transfer pricing rules, were not revolutionary in isolation. But taken together, they represented a tightening of the net—an unmistakable […]

EU Timber Regulation (2013) – Roadmap to EUTR Compliance for Small Furniture Exporters (2019)

April 15, 2019

EU Timber Regulation (2013) – Roadmap to EUTR Compliance for Small Furniture Exporters (2019)

Small furniture exporters operating within or supplying to the European Union found themselves increasingly under scrutiny by mid-2019, as regulators stepped up enforcement of the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR). The regulation, originally adopted in 2013, has long aimed to prevent illegally harvested timber and timber products from entering the EU market. Yet for many smaller […]

U.S. National Trade Estimate Report (Mar 2019) – Supply Chain Barriers Identified

April 1, 2019

U.S. National Trade Estimate Report (Mar 2019) – Supply Chain Barriers Identified

The 2019 National Trade Estimate (NTE) Report, released by the Office of the United States Trade Representative in March, once again drew attention to a range of non-tariff barriers affecting American exporters, particularly in the electronics and automotive sectors. For seasoned trade analysts, much of the content felt familiar—concerns about divergent technical standards, opaque licensing […]

Canada’s Supply-Chain Emissions Disclosure Discussion Paper (Jan 2019) – Preparing for Future Regulations

March 15, 2019

Canada’s Supply-Chain Emissions Disclosure Discussion Paper (Jan 2019) – Preparing for Future Regulations

In January 2019, Natural Resources Canada released a discussion paper that, while perhaps under the radar for many outside policy circles, signaled a potentially significant shift in how large firms—particularly those in energy-intensive sectors—will be expected to account for supply-chain emissions. The paper focused on Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions, those indirect emissions that arise […]

U.K. Social Value Act (2013) – Measuring Social Impact in Public Procurement Supply Chains (2019)

March 1, 2019

U.K. Social Value Act (2013) – Measuring Social Impact in Public Procurement Supply Chains (2019)

The Social Value Act, first enacted in 2013, has long been praised—and sometimes quietly criticized—for its ambition to embed social benefit considerations into public procurement processes. For years, the legislation encouraged contracting authorities to look beyond price and technical merit, to consider how procurement decisions might contribute to broader community wellbeing. Yet, for all the […]

EU Medical Devices Regulation (MDR, 2017) – Transition to Traceability via EUDAMED (2019)

February 15, 2019

EU Medical Devices Regulation (MDR, 2017) – Transition to Traceability via EUDAMED (2019)

The European Union’s Medical Devices Regulation, published back in May 2017, introduced a host of transformative requirements aimed at reshaping medical device oversight, not least in the realm of supply chain traceability. The deadline for compliance may have felt distant at first. But by early 2019, manufacturers, suppliers, and regulators alike found themselves grappling with […]

U.S. Farm Bill (2018) – Hemp and CBD Supply Chain Licensing (2019)

February 1, 2019

U.S. Farm Bill (2018) – Hemp and CBD Supply Chain Licensing (2019)

When the 2018 U.S. Farm Bill was signed into law that December, it marked a turning point for hemp cultivation and its downstream industries, particularly for the burgeoning CBD sector. The removal of hemp from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act created both opportunity and uncertainty, especially as stakeholders sought clarity on supply chain […]

The International Trade Council is a global, peak-body, chamber of commerce that supports businesses and governments by providing resources, advocacy, and networking opportunities to promote international trade and foreign direct investment. It serves as a platform for organizations to collaborate, share knowledge, and navigate the complexities of global markets.

About

Resources

Legal

© 2025 - International Trade Council. A Peak-Body, International, Chamber of Commerce.

Important Disclaimer: The International Trade Council is not affiliated in any way with the International Trade Centre. The International Trade Centre is a joint subsidiary organ of the United Nations (acting through UNCTAD) and the World Trade Organization. The International Trade Council is an independent peak-body chamber of commerce acting on behalf of its member businesses and governments. If you are looking for the International Trade Centre, please visit www.intracen.org.