Archive for Trade Agreements

The Importance of Global Trade Content for Managing Free Trade Agreements

June 12, 2012 Caroline Amber Road, Free Trade Agreements, Free Trade Management, Global Trade Management, Global Trade Management Software, Trade Agreements No comments

With the May 14th presidential proclamation putting the US-Colombia free trade agreement into force, it has never been more critical for GTM software users to understand the importance of the trade content that powers their solutions. Because FTAs specify changes in rules of origin and HS codes, it is important that organizations using global trade management software ensure that their vendor made the appropriate updates to the underlying trade content and put them in place immediately.

By having access to these trade content updates, organizations are able to find potential reductions in landed costs due to preferential treatment as of the effective date. Supply chain managers should be able to run scenarios that reflect preferential rates as they make sourcing decisions.

To learn more, click here to read the Supply Chain Digest article written by Anthony Hardenburgh, Vice President of Global Trade Content at Amber Road.

Presidential Trade Proclamation Signed to Implement the U.S.-Colombia Trade Agreement

May 18, 2012 Caroline Amber Road, Free Trade Agreements, Free Trade Management, Global Trade Management Software, Press Release, Trade Agreements No comments

On May 14, 2012, President Obama signed the presidential proclamation that put the United States-Colombia free trade agreement into force. Designed to promote the flow of certain goods and services between the countries, the free trade agreement was years in the making.

According to the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR), the tariff reductions in the Agreement will expand exports of US goods alone by more than $1.1 billion, supporting thousands of additional American jobs. The International Trade Commission also projected that the Agreement will increase US GDP by $2.5 billion. The Agreement will remove significant barriers to US goods from entering Colombia’s market, as over 80 percent of US exports of consumer and industrial products to Colombia will become duty free immediately, with remaining tariffs phased out over the next 10 years.

Because the agreement specifies changes in rules of origin and HS codes, Amber Road was anticipating the formalization with the necessary updates to its extensive body of trade content, known as Global Knowledge®. Amber Road’s trade specialists constantly monitor government information feeds from around the world to ensure that the Global Knowledge® database is kept current as trade regulations change.

In fact, the US-Colombia FTA is affecting 20,681 HS codes and 858 rules of origin. Amber Road’s customers will see these changes within 24 hours of the effective date of the agreement. No other vendor in the industry provides that level of service when it comes to trade content.

You can read the full press release here. To learn how Amber Road can help your company realize the benefits of an FTA program, check out our Trade Agreement Management brochure.

New Trade Enforcement Agency Established

March 12, 2012 Caroline Amber Road, Export Compliance, Export Compliance Program, Export Controls, Foreign Trade Barriers, Interagency Trade Enforcement Center, National Export Initiative, Regulatory Compliance, Trade Agreements, Trade Compliance, Trade Regulations No comments

President Obama recently signed an executive order, establishing the Interagency Trade Enforcement Center (ITEC) within the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).  The Obama administration is aimed at doubling exports by the year 2015, and this new agency will help facilitate that goal.

According to Ron Kirk, Ambassador of USTR, the ITEC is among the most significant commitment of resources and expertise since the establishment of the USTR. The purpose of the Interagency Trade Enforcement Center will be to coordinate U.S. trade rights under international agreements, monitor unfair trade practices, as well as identify and eliminate foreign trade barriers. These tasks will hopefully curb the production of counterfeit and unsafe goods and improve market access for U.S. exporters. The ITEC will also strengthen trade enforcement of intellectual property laws.

Chairman of the House Trade Working Group, Rep. Mike Michaud (D-Maine), said, “Signing this order brings us one more important step closer to the level of trade enforcement we need to counter the predatory practices of countries like China.”

Based on the signed executive order, the mission and function of The Interagency Trade Enforcement Center will be to:

(a) serve as the primary forum within the Federal Government for USTR and other agencies to coordinate enforcement of U.S. trade rights under international trade agreements and enforcement of domestic trade laws;

(b) coordinate among USTR, other agencies with trade related responsibilities, and the U.S. Intelligence Community the exchange of information related to potential violations of international trade agreements by our foreign trade partners; and

(c) conduct outreach to U.S. workers, businesses, and other interested persons to foster greater participation in the identification and reduction or elimination of foreign trade barriers and unfair foreign trade practices.

Upcoming Trade Compliance Webinar

December 6, 2011 Caroline Amber Road, Denied Party, Export Compliance, Global Trade Management Software, Import Compliance, Regulatory Compliance, Restricted Party Screening, Trade Agreements, Trade Compliance, Trade Compliance Software, Webinars No comments

Join World Trade 100 and Amber Road (formerly Management Dynamics, Inc.) on Thursday December 15th at 2 PM EST for a complimenattary webinar, Global Trade Compliance in the Oil & Gas Industry: A Case Study with Weatherford.

Global trade experts will explain the importance of automating trade compliance processes and the difficulties oil and gas companies face, as well as present recent developments in the industry.  By attending this webinar, you will walk away with:

-  A better understanding of the export compliance challenges oil and gas companies are facing
-  Various strategic considerations to think about when implementing an automated trade compliance solution
-  Best practices you can use to improve your company’s export compliance processes

Speakers will include:
Scott Byrnes, Vice President of Marketing, Amber Road (formerly Management Dynamics, Inc.)
Natalia Shehadeh, Director of Trade Compliance, Weatherford
Scott Johnston, Attorney, Specializing in U.S. Import/Export Law, Givens & Johnston, PLLC

Join us and find out how you can automate your trade compliance process!