The tenth issue of the Export Control Organisation’s Training Bulletin contains full details of courses, seminars and workshops that will increase your understanding of the UK’s strategic export controls.
These events are aimed at exporting and trading individuals or companies of all sizes, as well as government organisations, and cater for a wide range of knowledge levels.
The latest bulletin includes all details, charges and an application form.
For more information on export controls and the work of the ECO generally, call our helpline on 020 7215 4594, or email with your questions: eco.help@bis.gsi.gov.uk
Read updates issued by the Export Control Organisation including details about imposition of arms embargoes, Open General Export Licence amendments or announcements about Control List changes.
Notice to Exporters 2013/08 The Export Control Organisation (ECO), part of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, has amended Open General Export Licence (International Non-Proliferation Regime Decontrols: Dual-Use Items). ECO has also published Open General Export Licence (International Non-Proliferation Regime Decontrols: Military Items).
On 21 February 2013, the British Chamber of Commerce, in cooperation with the British Embassy and UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), launched the Building your Business in Belgium (BBB) scheme – an integrated service for companies new to the Belgian marketplace.
The scheme provides a ‘safe landing’ to companies doing business in Belgium for the first time through professional advice, expertise and services that complement those provided to UK exporters by UKTI and the British Embassy.
The event was hosted by Jonathan Brenton, HM Ambassador to Belgium and was attended by UK and international business professionals who welcomed this new initiative.
Belgium may not be as well known as some other global markets, but it is an open and dynamic export market for British goods and services. It is the UK’s 6th highest export partner worldwide (Source: Hm Revenue & Customs, October 2011).
“It is an ideal place for the first time exporter and a great stepping stone to the rest of Europe” says Jonathan Brenton, HM Ambassador to Belgium, “English is widely accepted, and there are quick and easy communications and connections with the UK and the rest of mainland Europe”. He added that increased export/import activities will benefit overall economic growth in both countries.
“The Chamber’s partnership with UK Government is a great example of how business can work with the public sector to provide a better joined up service for UK businesses” explains Glynis Whiting, President of the British Chamber in Belgium. “We look forward to playing our part in helping the much needed export led growth in Europe”.
Another initiative that supports business in Belgium is the The Golden Bridge Awards, launched by the British Chamber last year and also supported by UKTI. It is an annual award that recognises the most successful UK companies doing business in Belgium. Open to both service and manufacturing companies, the award aims to encourage more exports to Belgium by UK companies and also to give British products and services a higher profile at the heart of the EU.
The Awards are operated in partnership with the Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Great Britain, which has run a successful scheme since 1997 recognising the success of companies from Belgium and Luxembourg exporting to the UK.
For more information, please contact:
British Chamber of Commerce in Belgium Boulevard Bischoffsheim 11 1000 Brussels T +32 (0)2 540 90 30 Joanna De Keyser- Business Development Executivejoanna@britcham.be
BCC downgrades its growth forecasts: from 1.0% to 0.6% in 2013, and from 1.8% to 1.7% in 2014
Prospects should improve in the medium term: in 2015, we forecast growth of 2.2%
Downward revision due to numerous factors, such as the contraction of GDP in Q4 2012, and worsening prospects in the eurozone
Unemployment forecast is 50,000 lower than in December
Public sector borrowing is forecast at £89.7bn in 2012/13, £9.2bn higher than the OBR predicted in December 2012
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) today (Thursday) has published its latest economic forecast, which sees UK growth in 2013 revised downwards from 1.0% to 0.6% in 2013, and from 1.8% to 1.7% in 2014. Businesses are resilient and have the ambition needed to drive our national recovery forward, but reduced global growth prospects, and the ongoing need to repair Britain’s balance sheet, will slow the pace of the UK recovery over the next couple of years. However prospects will gradually improve in the medium term. We hope to see the Chancellor use his Budget on March 20th to deliver radical measures, including a significant re-prioritization of resources, to enable businesses to create jobs, invest and export.
Economic Forecast
UK GDP
The BCC is cutting its UK growth forecast for 2013 from 1.0% to 0.6% in 2013 and to 1.7%, down from 1.8%, in 2014.
In December 2012, we predicted growth of 1.0% in 2013 and 1.8% in 2014.
The downward revision to our forecasts is due to the following factors: 1) the unexpected 0.3% GDP decline in Q4 2012; 2) worsening global growth prospects, mainly in the eurozone; and 3) the ongoing need to mend Britain’s public finances.
We expect UK growth to improve gradually over the medium term, but the recovery will be slow by historical standards.
For 2015, we predict stronger UK GDP growth of 2.2%.
Main components of demand
Household consumption. After rising by 1.0% in 2012, household consumption will grow by 1.0% in 2013, 1.9% in 2014 and 2.2% in 2015. Gradual declines in inflation over the next two years, though slower than expected in December, will ease the squeeze on disposable incomes and create moderate increases in domestic demand.
Business investment has been volatile in quarterly terms over the last year or so. Despite the weakness of the economy, we expect business investment to strengthen gradually, growing by 5.0% in 2013, 5.1% in 2014, and by 5.2% in 2015.
The much-needed rebalancing of the UK economy has remained slow. In 2012 exports fell by 0.3% and imports rose by 2%. Our new forecast is that exports will grow by a very modest 1.1% in 2013, accelerating gradually to 3.3% in 2014, and 4.1% in 2015. Within this total, there will be a further shift in exports away from the European Union towards other faster-growing regions, mainly Asia.
The current account deficit worsened sharply in 2012 to 3.3% of GDP, approaching its highest level since 1980. This reflected the much larger trade deficit, and a large fall in investment income. Over the next few years, the current account deficit is forecast to narrow, but at a modest pace to 3.0% in 2013, 2.7% in 2014, and 2.4% in 2015.
Main sectors of the economy
Manufacturing is still a strong sector, but its relative share of total UK output has fallen in recent decades, and now accounts for only 10.5% of the whole economy. We expect manufacturing output to fall by 0.5% in 2013, followed by modest positive growth of 1.0% in 2014 and 1.2% in 2015.
Weak growth in world trade will limit the scope for increases in manufacturing exports over the next few years. Given that manufacturing is now productive and well managed, it has the potential to recover, and many firms have retained their skill bases during the recession. However the sector has experienced large productivity falls and this must be remedied.
Construction remains a weak and volatile sector in the UK economy, with a full-year decline of 8.2% in 2012, and a year-on-year fall of 9.3% in Q4 2012. In full-year terms, we predict that construction output will fall by a further 0.6% in 2013, followed by positive but weak growth of 1.0% in 2014 and 1.1% in 2015.
Service sector average growth is forecast at 1.1% in 2013, 2.1% in 2014, and 2.6% in 2015, a stronger performance than the other sectors. The service sector is by far the largest sector in the UK economy, and accounts for 77% of total output.
Unemployment
We predict that total UK unemployment will increase from 2.501 million (7.8% of the workforce) in Q4 2012, to 2.600 million (7.9% of the workforce) in Q2 2014, a net increase of 99,000 in the jobless total. This means that we are expecting an unemployment peak that is 50,000 lower than our previous forecast.
We also expect employment to increase, but any new jobs that are created will not be enough to absorb the increase in the number of economically active people.
This new forecast reflects the expectations that the increased flexibility and resilience of the UK labour market will be maintained. Nevertheless, we still expect moderate increases in the UK jobless total due to the following reasons: 1. Some of the planned public spending cuts that are yet to be implemented will have an adverse impact on jobs. 2. Low UK GDP growth will dampen demand for labour 3. Productivity falls seen since 2008 will start to partially reverse, and this will add to the jobless total at a time when demand remains weak.
Youth unemployment is forecast to increase from 974,000 in Q4 2012 to 995,000 in Q2 2014. We expect unemployment in the 16-17 age group to total around 205,000 (a jobless rate of 38.5%) in Q2 2014. Unemployment in the 18-24 age group is forecast to total around 790,000 (a jobless rate of 18.8%) in Q2 2014.
Public finances and inflation
Our public sector borrowing forecast for 2012/13 is £89.7 billion, £9.2 billion higher than the OBR predicted in December 2012.
In average full-year terms, we are now predicting annual CPI inflation at 2.7% in 2013, 2.3% in 2014, and 2.2% in 2015. Our new CPI inflation forecasts are higher than in December for 2013 and 2014.
For RPI inflation we are now predicting 3.4% in 2013, 3.0% in 2014, and 3.1% in 2015.
Interest rates and Quantitative Easing (QE)
We expect official UK interest rates to remain at 0.5% until Q4 2014, and then to rise modestly, to 0.75% in Q1 2015, and to 1.00% in Q2 2015. This means that any future interest rate increases are likely to occur later than we predicted in December.
In December, we thought that Quantitative Easing would not be increased further. We now predict that there will be a £50bn increase in QE to £425bn in Q2 2013, probably in May. Our view remains that increasing QE in the near future is unnecessary and would be unduly risky.
Commenting, John Longworth, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said:
“Our new forecast highlights the challenges facing the UK economy over the months and years ahead. We have advocated reducing the deficit, but have for some considerable time said that this must be coupled with a plan for growth, together creating a new model economy that will allow businesses to create jobs, invest and export.
“Businesses up and down the country tell me they are confident and determined to grow. More must be done to support the ambitions of growing companies, many of whom will be the wealth creators of tomorrow.
“This is why we are calling for decisive action in the Budget. The government must make a serious effort to deliver on the many promises already made. This requires a focus on implementing measures that will boost growth, such as the movement of the business bank from rhetoric to reality, increasing the availability of access to finance, and delivering key infrastructure projects that will raise the confidence of businesses on the ground.
“Politicians across the entire spectrum need to show imagination and leadership. If they demonstrate the courage to put Britain’s economic priorities above politics, they can make a real difference in transforming our economy so that Britain can lead the way and attract enterprise and investment for years to come.”
David Kern, BCC Chief Economist, added:
“Talk of a new recession is currently pessimistic. The ONS’ own data revisions raise doubts as to whether there was in fact a recession early in 2012. Following the 0.3% fall in Q4 2012, GDP is likely to increase by 0.1% in Q1 2013. We expect quarterly growth to increase very gradually over the next two years, but it will remain modest and below-trend for some time. In addition, we now expect GDP to return to its pre-recession levels early in 2015, and the squeeze on living standards will continue for a while longer.
“Our new forecast indicates that in 2012/13, and over the next three financial years, public sector borrowing will be higher than the OBR predicted in December. Our persistent fiscal challenges have contributed to the UK’s downgrading by Moody’s. Reducing the structural deficit, which remains unacceptably high, is proving a longer and more painful task than initially thought. But combining this policy with effective measures to boost growth is critical to avoid a vicious circle of weak growth and ballooning deficits.
“The debate about the UK monetary regime ahead of the arrival of Mark Carney as next Bank of England Governor has generated expectations that QE will be increased shortly, and that the MPC is now more willing to tolerate higher inflation and a much weaker pound. These perceptions are problematic. Adding to QE should only be considered if new threats emerge to the stability of the UK banking system. In the meantime, we believe that more QE would only provide marginal benefits for the economy, while heightening longer-term risks of financial distortions, bubbles and higher inflation.”
Health and Safety Made Simple is a website, developed by the Health and Safety Executive that will help small businesses to get started in managing health and safety, by bringing the basic information they need into one place.
The site will help businesses save time on managing health and safety by using the streamlined guidance and direct links to supporting material.
The health and safety toolbox – how to control risks at work builds on the basics in Health and Safety Made Simple by providing the next level of advice to help businesses understand, manage and control workplace risks with just a few clicks of a mouse.
It’s the first time that quick, simple guides and interactive tools on how to identify, assess and control common workplace hazards, such as slips and trips and working with electricity and machinery, have been pulled together.
Health and Safety Laboratory
The Health and Safety Laboratory is undertaking research to gather evidence and investigate employers, schools / academies and work placement organisers’ perceptions of health and safety in relation to young workers (aged 18 and under), particularly for work experience.
They are very keen to speak to businesses in the service, manufacturing and construction sectors about their views and experiences. This will involve a brief telephone interview to answer some key research questions.
If you are able to help with this work please contact Jo Bowen on 01298 218460.
Ofgem warns of rising prices and energy shortages The outgoing chief executive of Ofgem, Alistair Buchanan, has warned that the UK faces higher energy bills over the coming years due to shortage of energy supplies. In a major speech he said that a fall in the UK’s power production capacity is likely to lead to more energy imports and he predicts power station closures could mean a 10% fall in capacity by April alone. He said the UK needs more gas supplies and an improvement in energy efficiency to fill the shortfall.
Prime Minister hails clean energy on Indian trade mission The prime minister has underlined his support for green technologies during a major trade trip to India. He was accompanied by several green companies and climate change minister Greg Barker on the trip. At his first stop, the Unilever office in Mumbai, he touted the benefits of clean energy as a key to UK economic growth.
Nuclear power According to reports in the Guardian the government is proposing to sign contracts guaranteeing subsidies for new nuclear for up to 40 years. The paper said that ministers are proposing the timeline in order to keep the guaranteed wholesale cost of each unit of energy below the politically crucial figure of £100 per megawatt hour. DECC said in a statement that: “No commitment has been made on commercial terms or a strike price.”
Energy Bill decarbonisation amendment tabled Conservative MP Tim Yeo and Labour’s Barry Gardiner have tabled an amendment to the Energy Bill that would require the government to introduce a decarbonisation target for the power sector by April next year, paving the way for a potential Commons rebellion. Yeo, who chairs the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee, and Gardiner, who serves on the Committee and also acts as Labour leader Ed Miliband’s Climate Change Envoy, put forward the amendment after the Bill Committee Stage.
EU-wide offshore oil and gas law The EU proposed its first law to regulate safety in offshore oil and gas drilling across the 27-member bloc and prevent any repeat of BP’s Gulf of Mexico spill. The law still needs final endorsement from member states and the European Parliament. Politicians from Britain were among the first to welcome it. As they argue British standards of safety are already excellent and the new law would oblige others to follow suit. Britain was among those who campaigned for the law to be a directive rather than an EU regulation.
Marine power Two British companies have today been awarded a share of £20 million to help drive forward growth in the UK’s marine energy industry. MeyGen Ltd and Sea Generation Wales Ltd have both won funding under the government’s Marine Energy Array Demonstrator scheme (MEAD). MEAD was launched in April last year, to support the development and testing of pre-commercial marine devices in array formations out at sea.
Upcoming developments
Energy Bill completes Commons Stage and goes to the Lords
New strategies on nuclear, oil and gas and offshore renewables to be published
Carbon Floor Price to be introduced in April
Decision on next stage of UK and Ireland wind trading
Capacity market design proposals due to be published in the spring
Strike Price proposals due to be published in the summer
BIS Publish Industrial Strategies (Offshore Wind, Nuclear, and Oil & Gas)
Abellio train operator Greater Anglia has won the Train Operator of the Year award at the annual national Rail Business Awards for 2012. This independent recognition for the regional train operator comes only just over a year into its franchise, which began in February 2012. It provides a major external endorsement of the improvements made to date by the company in many aspects of its operations.
This includes better punctuality, higher customer service standards, greater customer engagement, improved ticketing, station upgrades, integrated transport improvements and reduced weekend service disruption for passengers (as a result of a new agreement with Network Rail as part of the alliance between the two companies). Greater Anglia was also complimented for its excellent service during the London Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Praising Greater Anglia for its winning entry, the judges said: “Performance during the first year of operation has been very impressive. This came across very clearly in its excellent submission.”
The accolade follows an increase in customer satisfaction amongst Greater Anglia’s passengers in the most recent National Passenger Survey to 83% and improved annual punctuality to over 92%, the highest level for the East Anglian franchise in at least 12 years. The company has also made ticket purchase much easier with more ticket vending machines, a smartphone app, trials of mobile ticketing and “print-at-home” ticketing. In addition, Greater Anglia is also playing a leading role in the development and delivery of the East Anglian Rail Prospectus, working proactively with regional stakeholders to make the case for greater investment in rail services in the region. Commenting on the recognition of Greater Anglia’s progress Ruud Haket, Managing Director said: “I am delighted that barely a year into our short franchise, we have received this independent endorsement of our achievements. To be bracketed amongst the leading UK train companies at such an early stage is a tribute to the commitment and dedication of our employees.
“We know we have much more to do to achieve the consistency of service that our customers rightly expect, but we have made significant steps forward in punctuality, information provision and ticket purchasing facilities already and we are passionate about delivering high standards of customer service day in, day out, for passengers across our network.
“We are committed to making further service improvements over the remainder of our short franchise to July 2014 and to continue to work with regional stakeholders to help secure the long term investment needed to further upgrade train services in East Anglia – focusing on the priorities highlighted in the East Anglian Rail Prospectus. Our focus will always be on continuously improving rail services for the customers and communities we serve.”
Norwich For Jobs today provides its first campaign update, covering progress made in the first month of operation.
Aims
Norwich For Jobs seeks to halve Norwich youth unemployment in two years.
Launched on 25th January 2013, we believe that we can encourage the creation of 1,000 new jobs and good economic opportunities for young people in our city.
There are currently around 2,000 young people, aged 18-24, registered as unemployed in the Norwich area. Our aims are:
Investment- Encourage local businesses to invest in young people
Opportunities- Connect young people with opportunities to gain skills and employment
Community- Focus the collective efforts of the community to get young Norwich working.
First Month’s Progress
During February 2013, Norwich For Jobs has achieved the following:
20 employers formally backing campaign so far. You can see these updated regularly on our website, www.norwichforjobs.org.uk. All are willing to be interviewed by media
Dozens more have indicated their interest and are in discussion with the campaign
101 jobs have been pledged
36 apprenticeships have been pledged
78 work experience opportunities have been pledged
Quotes
Chloe Smith, leader of Norwich For Jobs, said:
“We are delighted by the reaction to the launch of the Norwich for Jobs Campaign. Enquiries by potential employers and those willing to offer work placements have exceeded our expectations.
“We’ve made good progress in our first month in engaging with employers, partners and young people and wish to continue this success in subsequent months.
“Our key goal for the first month way to get the key aims of the Norwich for Jobs Campaign across, which I think we have achieved. We are now moving forward in following up on all lines of enquiry that have come to us and will seek to help and support businesses wishing to offer an opportunity to a young person in Norwich.”
Julia Nix, East Anglia District Manager for Jobcentre Plus, comments:
“Our sincere thanks go to our first set of employers who have pledged their support by offering jobs, apprenticeships and work experience to our talented young people. I would encourage any employer to make contact to help us further.”
Dick Palmer, Chief Executive Officer of City College Norwich, said:
“This is a really fantastic start for Norwich For Jobs and shows how supportive our local employers are. It shows that local employers, big and small, really do get that young people are our future.”
Next month includes Apprenticeships Week. Expect more updates from Norwich For Jobs on apprenticeships and more.
Norfolk Chamber’s ‘Opportunities 2013’ event on 14 March at Norwich City Football Club is the perfect place to boost your business skills and knowledge, because the event will feature a series of three, free 40-minute topical and interactive workshops designed to give a real competitive business edge.
The first workshop is entitled: ‘Networking so easy anyone can do it’, delivered by Mark Rhodes, of Rhodes2success. Mark will explain how many people attend networking events but very few get anything out of it. The reason for this is that they don’t understand what networking is really about, and they don’t have a clear strategy for networking or the skills to enable them to get results from their networking.
Mike Jones, of Modello, will deliver a workshop called: ‘Broadband: it’s more than just speed’. BT Business will be hosting this workshop to complement their exhibition presence and will use the session to explain how small to medium sized businesses in the UK are driving further cost savings, improving efficiency and keeping ahead of the competition, by grasping the full potential from broadband services.
Lastly, David Tillyer, from 101 Smart Ltd, will give a workshop called: ‘How to get results for email marketing’. This workshop will focus on explaining how to use email marketing to its full potential and improve your business.
Caroline Williams, CEO of Norfolk Chamber, said: “In business we need to continue to learn and broaden our skills; to keep up to date with the latest technology and methods of communication. These workshops are designed to be bang up to date and to help businesses to really gain an advantage and enhance their offering.”
‘Opportunities 2013’, which is free to attend, also includes a Meet the Buyer event called Open4business, where suppliers will have the opportunity to pitch to key private and public sector buyers at pre-booked, 10-minute, one-to-one meetings. This year there are more buyers than ever before, with more than 35 signed up for the event. They include a wide range of councils and colleges, Kinnerton, Adnams, Perenco, Norwich City Football Club and many others.
The ‘Opportunities 2013’ event also features Norfolk’s largest business exhibition, where suppliers from around the region can promote their products and services. The exhibition is divided into six themed business zones designed to help you grow your business and find the areas which are of most interest. They are Enterprise, Advice & Finance, Hospitality & Leisure, Technology, Promotion & Marketing and HR & Training.
For the first time, the event will feature a Networking United event that will bring together a range of Norfolk networking groups under one roof, with the aim of making those vital connections.
To sign up for the workshops, or to find out more about ‘Opportunities 2013’, go here
At today’s Norfolk Chamber of Commerce Board meeting, the members of the Board approved both the Business Plan for 2013/2014 and the new ‘Unlocking Growth Plan’. The Unlocking Growth Plan sets out the Chamber’s priorities for 2013, as identified by the Norfolk Chamber members. The key areas to be addressed in 2013 are:
Championing Norfolk Business
Improving Infrastructure
Supporting Competitiveness
Removing Barriers
The Chamber’s key theme of ‘Unlocking the Potential of Norfolk’s Young People’ will run through the delivery of all its services and is identified in the ‘Unlocking Growth plan’.
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