The Telegraph writes today that EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier is set to be sidelined by EU leaders in a bid to get a breakthrough in the negotiations about a trade treaty with the UK. Representatives of the bloc’s 27 member states expect Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, …

My colleague and dear friend, Dr. Alan Bersin, has written an excellent article on how mondtate risks are reshaping the world. Read it here below. In just the last weeks, we have seen catastrophic wildfires, major hurricanes, cyber threats to core civic processes, and heightened domestic terrorism threats—all in the midst of the ongoing …

The government yesterday (2 September) announced it will pursue greater international alignment in its post-Brexit policy and rule-making processes – a move which has already been praised by leading trade policy experts as good news for traders. The pledge follows a review – conducted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) – …

Cable.co.uk’s does an annual internet speed ranking using M-Lab data is a great example of open data being used to encourage public understanding of broadband speeds people receive around the world. Average speed rankings by country are a great starting point for deeper research and statistical analysis of the state of broadband using M-Lab’s …

It doesn’t take much to cause some buzz on E Street as evident with a new report that has some thinking a new album from Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band could be on the way. Per Asbury Park Press, producer Ron Aniello, who’s been working with The Boss on his studio work …

Following the announcement on July 6 and receipt of required competition approvals, A.P. Møller–Maersk, has now completed the acquisition of the European customs services specialist to further enhance its logistics and services offering. Copenhagen, 2 September 2020 – A.P. Moller – Maersk has on 2nd September finalised the acquisition of KGH Customs Services, a …

UK PM Boris Johnson has admitted the UK is currently heading for a no-deal Brexit, with an agreement now “very difficult” as the two sides dig in and refuse to compromise. In a new gloomy summary of the state of the talks, No 10 described a deal as only “still possible” – with a …

Swedish Government nominates former EU Trade Chief Malmstrom for the Secretary General of OECD post. This is an excellent nomination. I know Cecilia Malmström and she is great candidate for this post. She is very competent, experienced, agile, creative and tough. A very strong contender from EU. Sweden is nominating former European Trade Commissioner …

Director General Roberto Azevedo leaves the World Trade Organization (WTO) today. WTO faces several major challenges for global trade with the world we live in today. We are in the middle of a pandemic with trade wars emerging. Thongs could look better.. We need a new strong Director General that can bridge the current …

Ibrahimovic scored 10 goals in 18 Serie A games after returning to Milan from the LA Galaxy in January. The 38-year-old turning 39 next month, joined the Serie A club for a second time on a six-month deal in January. He scored 10 goals in 18 Serie A games to help Milan to a …

The Union Jack has been removed from a line of member state flags inside the European Council building in Brussels ahead of the UK’s departure. The flag of the European Union was also removed from the outside of the British headquarters on Friday.

The UK is leaving the EU single market and customs union, and the end of the transition period will affect citizens, businesses, as well as travel to and from the EU. Have a look at the transition launch video here: Transition launch video Link to the The UK Transition page. It is only 124 …

A new information note published by the WTO Secretariat highlights how trade in goods and services has been affected by temporary border closures and travel restrictions linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. It describes how the cross-border mobility of individuals plays an important role in both the cross-border provision and consumption of services and in …

Magnificiant director Christopher Nolan (Inception, Interstellar, Batman) took more than five years to write the screenplay after deliberating about Tenet’s central ideas for over a decade. Casting began in March 2019, and principal photography took place in Denmark, Estonia, India, Italy, Norway, the United Kingdom, and United States, starting in May 2019. Delayed three …

The Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo travelled to London this afternoon for talks with the UK Government in preparation for the next round of Brexit negotiations, due to take place in September. HM Government of Gibraltar has been early in its Brexot preparations. HM Government of Gibraltar has also been tributed for its successful …

WCO has published its 2020 Annual Report, summarizing the main activities undertaken during financial year 2019-2020, the main developments within the WCO and its regional structures, and the future challenges to be addressed by the WCO Secretariat and its Members. The Report begins with the traditional Forewords from the Council Chairperson and the Secretary …

The UK Department for International Trade has created eleven new trade advisory groups to advise on deals. I think this is an interesting initiative. Trade Secretary Liz Truss said: “This is about bringing business closer to the negotiating table and using their expertise to help secure the best possible deals that deliver jobs and …

I love the work of Ricky Gervais. I fell for The Office. Loved it. I liked Extras too. I also loved his stand-up shows. After Life (season 1 & 2) from Netflix is special though. As Forbes wrote: ”After Life is about Tony, a journalist for a local free newspaper in the UK, who …

A Single Window and National Trade Window is a pre-requirement and an extremely important component of a modern Customs and border strategy for the future. It is very positive to see Egypt moving in this direction. When SW|NTW:s are done in synergy with the introduction of (or upgrading to) a modern risk segmentation and …

Today it is all about being smart. As digital innovations are now being adopted ever more widely, opportunities to explore what comes from having access to real-time data challenges traditional patterns of behavior. The success of tomorrow’s company is not just about making smarter decisions; it is also about challenging the traditional roles and …