When people talk about the transformation of trade, the story usually revolves around containers, ports, and mega-ships—visible proof that goods are moving across borders. Yet, beneath the surface, something quieter but equally significant has been happening: the rise of e-commerce exports. If you want to know how a country’s export profile is changing, you can’t […]
Since the passage of the Color Additive Labeling Act amendments in 2021, the processed food industry in the United States has found itself adjusting to a regulatory landscape that is, at once, both familiar and markedly more demanding. The core objective of the revised act—requiring explicit labeling of certain artificial colors known to trigger allergic […]
The International Trade Council (ITC) acknowledges the European Union’s (EU) 11th package of sanctions against Russia announced last week by European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen. The latest sanction package aims to prevent Russia from importing high-tech components for the ongoing conflict in Ukraine from neighbouring countries. Central Asian nations, such as Uzbekistan […]
The International Trade Council is pleased to announce that the United Kingdom has signed a deal to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a trade pact that includes 11 Asia and Pacific nations. This development comes three years after the UK officially left the European Union. Joining the CPTPP will […]
The International Trade Council is pleased to announce that the United Kingdom has successfully joined the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). After 21 months of negotiations, the UK has become the first non-founding member of the 11-nation trade bloc, which includes Japan, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Vietnam, and Malaysia. This significant achievement expands […]
The International Trade Council (ITC) acknowledges the recent findings from UNCTAD’s Global Trade Update, which highlight a slowdown in global trade in 2022. However, the report also brings attention to a silver lining in the form of ‘green goods,’ which showed significant growth, defying the overall downward trend. Global trade hit a record $32 […]
The International Trade Council welcomes China’s agreement to immediately resume imports of Brazilian beef, which were halted voluntarily by Brazilian authorities on February 23, following the discovery of an atypical case of mad cow disease. This decision comes days ahead of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s visit to China to expand trade relations […]
With the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) strategic plans now in force since January 2023, the European Union has taken a definitive step toward making agricultural supply chains more transparent. The strategic plans for 2023–2027 introduce a layered set of obligations for member states, particularly around reporting data on farm inputs. The intention is clear […]
The International Trade Council (ITC) recognizes the recent $3bn ( £2.4bn) bailout provided to Sri Lanka by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as a crucial lifeline for the country amidst its severe economic crisis. Sri Lanka’s struggling economy, compounded by the impact of the pandemic, rising energy prices, populist tax cuts, and high inflation, […]
Anyone who’s worked on urban policy, especially in rapidly growing cities, knows there’s always more going on than the maps let on. The neighborhoods that never quite make it onto official plans—informal settlements, slums, whatever label you use—are often economic engines in their own right. The question isn’t just where these communities are, but how […]
Since the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in January 2021, there has been heightened attention to the vulnerabilities in the rare earth element (REE) supply chains. Section 817, in particular, represents one of the more decisive policy moves aimed at fortifying the United States’ position in securing these critical inputs. The provision […]
Despite escalating diplomatic tensions, trade between the United States and China reached a record high in 2022, with imports and exports totaling $690.6 billion, according to official figures. This development showcases the continued interdependence between the world’s two largest economies, even in the context of an ongoing trade war since 2018. The new data reveals […]
If there’s anything the last few years have made clear, it’s that resilience in healthcare isn’t just about having enough hospital beds or the right stockpile of supplies. It’s about the entire architecture—how resources, infrastructure, and personnel come together in the face of crisis. But when policymakers and researchers set out to measure this resilience, […]
The year 2022 marked a significant turning point in the enforcement of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) provisions under the EU’s Single-Use Plastics Directive of 2019. For beverage manufacturers, the shift was more than just regulatory noise—it forced a deeper reckoning with supply chain transparency and accountability. Producers of plastic beverage containers, among others, now carry […]
The passage of Canada’s Digital Charter Implementation Act, better known as Bill C-27, in November 2022 has stirred fresh debate among logistics professionals, legal experts, and policymakers alike. Its implications for supply-chain data privacy are only beginning to be fully digested. At its core, the legislation aims to modernize privacy law, introducing stricter standards for […]
It’s easy to get swept up in the big numbers—total exports, year-on-year growth, the headlines about “winning sectors.” But behind every trade success story is a quieter, more intricate reality: how sectors actually stack up, both at home and abroad. For policymakers, investors, and analysts, the real question isn’t just how much a country exports, […]