ITW

The Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade will once again be participating in this year’s International Trade Week.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is running the programme of events for the fourth time next week (11-15 November), featuring both in-person and online events.

The Chartered Institute continues to back and support the programme, viewing it as an important platform to raise awareness among businesses about the opportunities that exist for British businesses in international trade.

Roadshows

Among the events the Chartered Institute is attending are three Digital Trade Roadshows, taking place in:

·         Manchester on 12 November

·         Brighton on 13 November

·         Birmingham on 14 November

These events will provide a glimpse into “the future of global commerce”, including a look at how data analytics can “optimise supply chains”, and the increasing relevance of both cybersecurity and AI for traders.

There will also be a look at strategies for scaling a global brand, using the latest innovations to both build your business internationally and “protect sensitive trade data”.

You can learn more about the Digital Trade Roadshow here.

The Chartered Institute perspective

Karen Holden, trade strategy and projects specialist at the Chartered Institute, says:

“At these events, delegates will be able to talk to Chartered Institute staff about all our services, from our Imports Advisory Practice to the support we provide for businesses to ‘go digital’ on trade.

“There will also be representatives talking about the work of the E-Commerce Trade Commission – we’re keen to hear from e-commerce traders about their experiences, and also to take feedback on any barriers they’ve faced when trading.”

This feedback, Holden says, will play a crucial role in the development of the Commission’s recommendations in its upcoming policy papers.

“This feedback will be extremely valuable in informing the policy papers the Commission will produce, as well as feeding into other parts of the Commission’s work during its two-year period to June 2025.

“These papers will seek to make recommendations about future trade policy legislation and how the Commission will directly inform new promotion and guidance materials for small businesses.”

CPTPP webinar

Also featuring in the week’s lineup of events is a special free public webinar from the Chartered Institute on the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

How to export to and import from CPTPP countries’ will give attendees practical insights into how they can make the most of the agreement, which is set to come into force this December.

The trade bloc’s member countries will number 12 once the UK joins, making it a market of over 600 million people. Major economies among the members are Australia, Canada, Mexico and Japan, as well as other rapidly-growing ones including Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia.

You can sign up for the free webinar here.

Showcasing ‘growth opportunities’

The webinar will feature CPTPP market specialists from DBT, including Olivia Herford, a CPTPP utilisation lead, and Daisy Knox, the FTA utilisation Mexico lead. 

They will be speaking alongside the Chartered Institute’s international trade legislation senior advisor, Garima Srivastava, and the charity’s executive editor, William Barns-Graham, who will be hosting the session.

The latter said the webinar will give practical tips on how businesses can make the most of CPTPP.

“We’re delighted to be partnering again with DBT on a webinar during International Trade Week,” he said.

“The CPTPP webinar is particularly timely, coming just a month before the UK’s accession to the agreement is set to begin coming into force.

“The webinar will give practical tips on how businesses can go about benefiting from the deal, while showcasing the growth opportunities that exist in key CPTPP markets, including Mexico and Vietnam.”