Supply chains, for all their apparent efficiency, have always harbored hidden fragilities. It took a series of global shocksâ€â€most notably the COVID-19 pandemic, but also tsunamis, hurricanes, and sudden trade disruptionsâ€â€to lay bare the sheer complexity and vulnerability embedded in the networks that keep economies running. For policymakers and business leaders, the urgent question became: […]
The International Trade Council (ITC) expresses concern over the recent ban imposed by China on Taiwanese pineapple imports, which has led to a significant economic dispute between the two countries. Taiwan, one of the largest producers of pineapples in the world, has been exporting almost all of its pineapples to China. The move by China […]
The International Trade Council has expressed concern over China’s decision to “indefinitely” suspend key economic dialogue with Australia, calling it the latest in a growing diplomatic rift between both countries. This move has escalated tensions between Australia and China, which have been on the decline since Australia called for a probe into the origins of […]
The U.K. Future Generations Bill, introduced in draft form in November 2020, aims to weave long-term sustainability into the fabric of public policy. Although the bill was still making its way through Parliament during 2021, its draft guidance was already shaping how public procurement frameworks were evolving and how businesses, especially SMEs, were positioning themselves […]
The International Trade Council has hailed the European Parliament’s decision to ratify the post-Brexit EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) as a key move to ensure tariff- and quota-free trade continues between the two sides. MEPs voted overwhelmingly in favour of the deal by 660 votes to 5, while 32 abstained. The TCA has been […]
The 2021 National Defense Authorization Act marked another step in the ongoing attempt to untangle U.S. defense supply chains from strategic dependencies that could compromise national security. Nowhere is this more visible than in the field of rare earth elements (REEs). These critical minerals underpin everything from missile guidance systems to communications gear. And yet, […]
The shift from linear to circular economic models is gathering momentum around the world. Policymakers, businesses, and researchers increasingly recognize that sustainable growth requires more than just efficient resource useâ€â€it demands the creation of closed loops, where materials and products are reused, remanufactured, and recycled rather than discarded. But how does one measure progress toward […]
Financial services have always seemed a bit like plumbing: crucial when everything is flowing, but largely invisible until something goes wrong. The past few yearsâ€â€2018 through 2020â€â€were a test for the world’s pipes. Market shocks, policy swings, and, ultimately, a global pandemic put the sector’s resilience under a spotlight. For those tasked with measuring this […]
The International Trade Council is pleased to report the clearance of all remaining vessels stranded as a result of the Ever Given grounding incident in the Suez Canal. The Suez Canal Authority has confirmed that the last of the 61 ships caught in the aftermath of the grounding were able to pass the canal on […]
The adoption of the EU Taxonomy Regulation’s delegated acts in April 2021 represented a turning point in how financial institutions are expected to engage with sustainability within their portfolios. While the taxonomy itself had been in force since mid-2020, these delegated acts added the critical operational detail necessary for firms to begin aligning their lending […]
The International Trade Council announces potential long-term disruptions at European ports resulting from the recent six-day blockage in the Suez Canal by the Ever Given vessel. Despite the successful freeing of the ship, there may be months of residual impact on shipments arriving in the EU. According to the Port of Antwerp, Europe’s second busiest […]
The International Trade Council has reported that an estimated $9.6bn ( £7bn) worth of goods are held up every day due to the stranded Ever Given mega-container ship in the Suez Canal. The canal is a vital passageway between the East and West, with approximately 12% of total global trade moving through it. Shipping expert […]
Abu Dhabi Investment Fund Mubadala has committed to investing £800 million in the UK’s life sciences sector over five years, marking the first of what could be several billion pounds of investments in the UK. Abu Dhabi is also reportedly planning to invest heavily in British health, tech, green energy, and infrastructure. The exact size […]
The Republic of Ireland recorded a 65% decrease in British imports, resulting in almost â‚ ¬1bn ( £856m) less of British goods in January 2021, in contrast to the same period last year, according to the Central Statistics Office of Ireland. The decline was even steeper for food imports, which plummeted by 75%, marking a […]
The introduction of Canada’s Sustainable Jobs Act, known as Bill C-12, back in June 2020 set the stage for a legislative framework that aims to guide the country through the complexities of a just transition toward a low-carbon economy. While the bill is still pending passage, the expectations it has already generated are shaping decisions […]
For anyone who has worked with international economic data, the peculiarities of classification systems are all too familiar. Most analysts have, at some point, encountered the tangle of industry codes that form the backbone of any rigorous study of sectoral growth, trade flows, or productivity. At the global level, the International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC) […]