The EU is removing import duties on a wide range of products imported from Sri Lanka. Effective since 19 May, the initiative will see the full removal of duties on 66% of tariff lines, including textiles and fisheries products.
Made in response to reforms made by the Sri Lankan administration, the EU’s action is tied to what it characterises as rigorous monitoring of Sri Lanka’s commitment to sustainable development, human rights and good governance.
Sri Lanka has committed itself to effectively implementing 27 international conventions on issues including labour conditions and environmental protection, the European Commission noted.
The removal of import duties has been agreed as part of the EU’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP+), which supports developing countries by fostering their economic development through increased trade with Europe.
An application for GSP+ was made by the Sri Lankan Government in July 2016. The country had previously benefitted from the scheme, but preferential treatment to Sri Lankan imports was stopped by the EU in 2010 over concerns about human rights violations.
The EU is Sri Lanka’s biggest export market. In 2016, total bilateral trade amounted to almost €4 billion, with EU imports from Sri Lanka totalling €2.6 billion (primarily textiles, rubber products and machinery).
EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström said that granting GSP+ status to Sri Lanka is intended to provide an opportunity for further economic development, including creating more and better jobs for all Sri Lankans.
Sri Lanka joins eight other GSP+ beneficiaries: Armenia, Bolivia, Cape Verde, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Pakistan, Paraguay and the Philippines.
We have an announced the lucky winner of our competition to receive 2 x VIP Tickets to the Royal Norfolk Show, congratulations Jonnie Butcher from Desire Marketing.
Don’t forget Norfolk Chamber members can receive 10% off the price of Royal Norfolk Show tickets.
The Royal Norfolk Show is the county’s biggest event of the year. It attracts tens of thousands of visitors from all over the UK. It takes place on Wednesday 28th and Thursday 29th June 2017 at The Royal Norfolk Showground.
To purchase your ticket and receive 10% discount click here and use the code RNS44.
Addressing the 2017 European Business Summit in Brussels, EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström set out the state of play for the EU’s ambitious agenda of trade policy.
This includes working with partners including the USA, China, Canada and Japan as well as Latin America, southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
The Commissioner noted the benefits trade can bring including cheaper products and services, and the creation of new jobs. She called for an approach which responds to people’s concerns, with a trade policy which is transparent, based on values and which shapes globalisation.
With regard to the UK, Ms Malmström expressed her personal sadness at the Brexit vote.
“But we’ll have to respect it and get on with it,” she continued. “Negotiations will resume after the election. The first priority is to ensure it’s an orderly withdrawal.”
In her speech, the full text of which, is available at trade.ec.europa.eu, the Commissioner gave an overview of progress in the trade agreements currently under discussion.
She also took the opportunity to attack the rise of protectionism and populism, and stressed that trade must not lead to a race to the bottom, with each side undercutting on standards.
The Commissioner closed by calling for a strengthening of the open, rules-based global trade system. The EU, she said, is open for business.
If you’re considering entering the EDP Business Awards but you’re unsure about which category is right for you, or you would like advice on how to tell your business story, then this session is not to be missed.
Norfolk Chamber of Commerce are running a special one-off free training as part of their Chamber Sessions which are one-hour free training workshops at their Norwich office. How to write award winning entriesDate: Friday, 23 June, 2017 – 8:30am to 10:00 Venue: 9 Norwich Business Park, Whiting Road, Norwich, NR4 6DJ FREE TO ATTEND
The interactive workshop will feature top tips from PR expert Suzy Pettican from Reflection PR, revealing the secrets of how to construct a winning entry which stands out to the judges.What’s more, Anna Norman (Events Manager for EDP Business Awards) will be providing insights about meeting this year’s criteria and answering any questions you have about the judging process.
Entering the awards provides significant opportunities to reward, recognise and promote your business – so if you have an initiative to shout about, join us and improve your chances of success.
Three take aways from this session:
Know what category is right for your business to enter.
Discover how to make your entry stand out from the crowd.
Find out answers to EDP Business Awards myths.
To book your place on this free workshop click here.
EDP Business Awards 2017
The EDP Business Awards 2017 are open for entries. The deadline for submitting your entry to any of the twelve award catergories is Sunday 30 July. Finalists will be invited to the black-tie Awards Ceremony at the Norfolk Showground on Thursday 2 November 2017.
If the UK is to retain its position as a global trading hub, then the Freight Transport Association (FTA) believes that creation of increased airport capacity in the southeast of England is vital.
The leading membership association in the logistics sector, whose members account for around 70% of the UK’s imports and exports, made the comment in response to the Government’s Draft Airports National Policy Statement.
It called for a swift resolution to discussions over the construction of a third runway at Heathrow before the airport loses further prominence in global trading to its European neighbours, including Paris Charles de Gaulle and Schiphol.
Alex Veitch, the Association’s Head of Global Policy, said: “The FTA has consistently supported the construction of a third runway at Heathrow, in preference to Gatwick, as our members believe it will deliver greater economic benefits to the whole of the UK from what is the key logistics hub for the entire country.”
Cargo is currently sent to and from Heathrow to 185 destinations in 84 countries, he went on, and expansion work must start swiftly to protect the airport’s reputation as the UK leading air freight gateway.
According to the York Aviation Report, jointly commissioned by FTA and Transport for London (TfL) in 2015, failure to expand capacity at London’s airports would have a detrimental effect on future trading partnerships, hitting shippers in terms of time and cost as they attempt to get goods to market, both in the UK and overseas.
The FTA’s Sky-high Value report into the value of extending Heathrow’s capacity can be found here.
On Wednesday 7th June Norfolk Chamber held its first South Norfolk Business Breakfast, at Applewood Hall Banham. Over 60 Chamber members attended the popular networking morning, hosted by Events Manager, Philippa Bindley. The morning got underway with a popular networking icebreaker that that asked delegates to reveal their first or worst jobs, leading to interesting discussions about their career paths and working lives. After tucking into to a full English breakfast and getting to know other members in the room through a safari networking move, Matt Sykes, a Trainer at Mindspan delivered an insightful presentation about the challenges that sales professionals are experiencing in today’s marketplace. Matt warned delegates of common mistakes they may be making when trying to promote their businesses at networking events, such as talking excessively about their business selling points. He stated that: ‘People aren’t interested in what you do…they want the result and the benefit that comes with the service you provide.’You can watch the video of Matt’s presentation online here or access the presentation slides by clicking here. The morning ended with a final round of free networking and a last chance to exchange of business cards. The next South Norfolk Business Breakfast will take place on Thursday 26th October 2017
In an effort to avoid post-Brexit tariffs, a third of British businesses are looking for UK firms to replace EU suppliers. Meanwhile, nearly half of EU businesses working with UK suppliers are in the process of finding local replacements.
The figures are revealed in a new survey by the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS), which found that 32% of UK businesses who work with suppliers on the continent are actively looking for alternative suppliers based in the UK.
For those trading with other Member States, UK-based suppliers are set to lose out as 45% of businesses currently using them seek non-UK replacements.
The survey of more than 2100 supply chain managers also found that 36% of UK businesses are intending to respond to Brexit by beating down supplier prices and that 11% of firms think that part of their operations may no longer be viable.
Although both UK and European supply chain managers agree that the main priority for the Brexit negotiations should be to keep tariffs and quotas to a minimum, those in the UK with responsibilities for brokering international deals believe there are serious obstacles to achieving that objective.
More than a third (39%) said they thought that the UK is in a weak position to negotiate and 36% cited lack of time as a major factor in achieving a good deal.
Even more worryingly, 33% of respondents believe that the UK has a dearth of supply chain expertise and knowledge to draw on.
Commenting for the CIPS, Gerry Walsh noted that both European and British businesses will be ready to reroute their supply chains in 2019 if trade negotiations fail – they are not wasting time to see what happens.
“The separation of the UK from Europe is already well underway even before formal negotiations have begun,” he added.
Notice is hereby given that the 120th Annual General Meeting of the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce & Industry will be held at OPEN, 20 Bank Plain, Norwich on Friday 07 October 2016. Registration will be at 10.00am, for meeting commencement at 10:15am. Please see attached for all papers relevant to the meeting.
All members are welcome to attend the Norfolk Chamber AGM. We would ask that members wishing to attendcomplete the attached RSVP and return it by email to:nova.fairbank@norfolkchamber.co.uk to ensure that we can accommodate everyone.
Companies trading with Qatar are becoming increasingly concerned about the severing of diplomatic ties with that country on 4 June by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt have implemented what is effectively a blockade against Qatar, closing airspace and territorial waters and preventing onward shipment of goods traditionally routed through them. This is of greatest concern to companies which might have goods destined for Qatar now ‘stuck in transit’ in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt, particularly those with Letters of Credit stipulating delivery by specific dates to secure payment. UK exporters are being encouraged to discuss with their shipping agents alternative routes into Qatar but a threat of wider action by Yemen, Libya and the Maldives could further complicate arrangements. The British Chamber of Commerce in Qatar has issued a statement which said: “On 4 June 2017, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic ties with Qatar. This has led to closures affecting road, air and sea routes between these countries and Qatar, as well as travel and residence restrictions affecting Qatari nationals. Restrictions on entry to the UAE have also been placed on certain holders of Qatari Residence Permits. These restrictions don’t apply to British nationals. As of 6 June 2017, the land border between Qatar and Saudi Arabia is closed. All flights between Qatar and Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain are suspended until further notice. These measures are likely to lead to some disruption for travellers in the region. You should check with your airline before you travel. Direct flights to and from the UK aren’t affected. Travellers should also check with the FCO Travel Advice for Qatar which is being updated regularly. Trade with Qatar is similarly affected by the closure of ports and road borders to Qatar bound shipments. Companies with goods in transit to Qatar should check with their shipping and handling agents to determine how best to ensure the shipments can reach Qatar. Local shipping agents in Qatar can advise on what new routes are proving most reliable and effective. For companies that have future business in Qatar, the Qatar government has emphasised that its ports and the airport remain open and they are operating business as usual. The British Chamber of Commerce in Qatar judges the embargo to be only temporary in nature but it is not possible to say how long it will continue. Further information will be posted as and when the situation changes.”
Ahead of the general election, Norfolk Chamber is setting out the key Norfolk business asks for any future government and is calling for support for Norfolk exporters and for the government to work with businesses to secure the best possible deal with the EU.
Commenting on the need to support Norfolk’s exporters, Esther Evans, member of Norfolk Chamber’s Board and Managing Director of STM Packaging Group Ltd said:
“Many of Norfolk’s most successful businesses are staying very positive about Brexit and ensuring they are in a good position to take advantage of any opportunities that arise.
“To give Norfolk companies greater confidence over the next two years, we want to see down to earth and sensible dialogue on business issues from any future government, but we would also like to see the government working closely with businesses of all sizes to help deliver the best possible deal with the EU and deliver the most advantageous economic environment in which Norfolk’s exporters can thrive and grow. This can be achieved by canvasing opinions and utilising all the region’s best business talent via the voice of the Chamber of Commerce.”
“Brexit is also a fantastic opportunity for the UK Government to lighten the regulatory burden on businesses in order to stimulate business growth and innovation. Norfolk businesses have a huge capacity for both growth and innovation, and are perfectly placed to take advantage of these opportunities so that they can offer greater employment and improved skills opportunities to all current and many new employees.”
Nova Fairbank, Public Affairs Manager for Norfolk Chamber outlined what Chamber members want to see as part of the Brexit negotiations:
Business Voice: support Norfolk exporters to drive economic growth. Develop trade policy with business, and leverage Chambers of Commerce, which are best placed to provide stable export support in all regions of the UK.
Labour: Protect the rights of existing EU workers to stay in the UK. Create a future UK immigration system that is responsive to economic needs and skills shortages at all levels, and ensure that there is no hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
International Trade: Tariffs need to be kept to a minimum, with simplified customs procedures to make exporting as easy as possible. To grow our export capacity, swift trade agreements with countries should be reached and trade missions should be expanded.
Standards: Product standards should be aligned and recognised by the EU, to ensure that Norfolk products remain competitive.
Funding: UK funding levels for business and people development need to be maintained in Norfolk to the levels that were formally funded from the EU.
Norfolk Chamber members are already noting how Brexit has impacted on their businesses so far:
Gordon Chetwood, Managing Director of Pasta Foods said:
“Pasta Foods has seen an upward path since the UK’s Brexit vote. Most of our pasta competitors are European businesses supplying into the UK, so the devaluation of the pound makes us more competitive to UK customers, in spite of the fact that we have faced rising costs, as we buy raw materials from Europe.
“In our snack business, we export snacks across the world to over 40 countries and we have seen very good sales growth in spite of raw material cost inflation and we anticipate that this will continue into the future.”
Alex Durand, Chief Executive of SaxonAir Charter Ltd said:
“Brexit has shown no signs of affecting our business yet, but as the majority of our flight operations are international, and particularly to, from and around Europe, it has the potential to significantly damage our business. Our view is that we need to prepare ourselves both for the good or the bad – there may be new opportunities created, or we may have to dramatically change our business. Either way, our approach needs to be the same: we have less than two years to make our business as efficient and dynamic as possible.”
Huw Sayer, Director of Business Writers said:
“Surprisingly, the Brexit vote has been good for our business so far but longer term uncertainties remain. Several of our European clients have already asked us to write marketing material emphasising their continued access to the EU single market and a pan-European supply chain.
“We have also been writing case studies for inward investment agency clients, showing how they can advise and support UK companies looking to future proof their business by establishing a base in the EU. The main threat we see is to our UK manufacturing and financial services clients, who may find themselves trading under WTO rules if the UK government does not secure a negotiated settlement.”
Sean Clark, Director of Clark St James said:
“Clients in the financial industry, based around stock investment, have severely cut their advertising spend as uncertainty is delaying potential investors from making any significant investment decisions. Travel and tourism advertising spend is up within the “staycation” market as the exchange rate makes it more beneficial to holiday in the UK.”
Norfolk Chamber, in addition to providing services for its membership, also has a key influencing role for the wider business community. To ensure our Board of Directors remains representative of the Norfolk business community as a whole, we need to recruit at least 3 new Board Directors
Commenting on the type of candidates being sought, Chris Sargisson, Chief Executive of Norfolk Chamber said:
“We have a diverse and innovative business community in Norfolk and it is imperative that the make-up of our Board reflects the huge amount of talent that can be found within the Chamber membership. We are particularly interested in recruiting from the following sectors: Tourism, Logistics, Construction, Manufacturing and Health & Social Care. Although we would not exclude other sectors from being considered.”
The deadline for applications to be received is Friday 18 August 2017 and interviews will be held on Wednesday 14 September 2017. Successful candidates will be notified of interview by the end of August. For more information on the role and to apply please click here.
From local standout to national champion: BCC Chamber Awards will put best of British business on the map.
Businesses from across the country are invited to take part and showcase their talents and achievements through a series of regional heats, culminating in the national final, which takes place in London on 30 November 2017.
Chris Sargisson, Chief Executive of Norfolk Chamber said:
“Norfolk companies can boast many areas of business excellence. The Chamber Awards allow us the opportunity to highlight some of our county’s many business achievements and I would encourage any business to showcase their achievements by entering these awards.”
Companies can enter nine categories, covering people development; customer care; business/education; export; health and wellbeing; and technology.
The Awards will be demonstrating the very best of business, highlighting the positive contribution that businesses make to the UK economy and to society as a whole. The categories are:
Small Business of the Year
Export Business of the Year
Best Use of Technology
High Growth Business of the Year
Commitment to People Development
Education and Business Partnership
Excellence in Customer Service
Health and Wellbeing
Best Use of Social media
The deadline for entries is Friday 30 June 2017, the regional winners will be announced on 25 September 2017, with the national winners being announced on 30 November 2017 at a glittering awards ceremony in London. To enter online click here