Few MPs go as far as the one who recently said that trade talks between the UK and the EU could be completed in an afternoon, but there is clearly a belief in some parts of the British Parliament that such negotiations should take months rather than years.
Unfortunately, any examination of how actual trade deals have been completed in recent years would seem to suggest that the latter is almost exclusively the case.
The latest example concerns the ongoing attempt by the European Commission to set-up talks with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Negotiations originally started 10 years ago, in 2007, but difficulties with dealing with a body comprising 10 nations at very different stages in their development led the Commission to concentrate its attention on bilateral deals with the more willing ASEAN members.
So far it has concluded, but not yet ratified, bilateral trade agreements with Singapore and Vietnam, and is pursuing negotiations with Indonesia, the Philippines and also, as regards investment protection, with Myanmar.
At a recent meeting, however, trade leaders from the EU and ASEAN agreed to look at resuming free trade talks between the two regions.
Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström said: “There is still much to be done to unlock the full potential of the EU-ASEAN relationship, and the quickly changing international environment now makes us turn our eyes even more towards Asia. I am glad to see that both sides are now ready to seize the momentum and start preparations towards re-launching these negotiations.”
It could be next year before anything substantive emerges, however, these things take time.
The funding bid that is to be submitted to central government by Norfolk County Council is greatly welcomed by Norfolk Chamber members. The document could pave the way for construction of a long-awaited third river crossing for Great Yarmouth starting in 2020. For many years, the Great Yarmouth Chamber Council has campaigned for a third river crossing, with successive Great Yarmouth Chamber Council presidents calling for investment to support greater economic growth in the town.
The Great Yarmouth Chamber Council has worked in partnership with local businesses, the Borough Council of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County Council and the New Anglia LEP to pull together support for the business case which is now being finalised and is expected to be submitted later this month. The Department for Transport is expected to make a decision during the summer on whether to grant the project ‘programme entry’ status and award the County Council further funding to develop the planning application and detailed surveys and design work for the third river crossing.
Norfolk County was awarded more than £1 million last August by the Department for Transport to develop an outline business case for a new road bridge across the River Yare. Since then, the County Council in conjunction with its partners, including Norfolk Chamber, have been gathering evidence and galvanising support for the project, using traffic surveys, a public consultation and gaining the backing of local business and community leaders.
Nova Fairbank, Public Affairs Manager at Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, said: “A third river crossing in Great Yarmouth will help to improve that connectivity and create thousands of new jobs. It will improve links across the town and to the rest of the region and reduce congestion. All of which will save businesses time and money, whilst allowing them to increase economic growth.”
Mark Goodall, New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership Board member, said: “The case we are making is a compelling one. Improving connectivity is key to increasing our productivity, attracting inward investment and retaining local talent. A third river crossing in Great Yarmouth would support all three; helping to create thousands of new jobs, opening up our all-energy coastline and reducing congestion which costs our local business time, money and customers.”
Cllr Graham Plant, the leader of Great Yarmouth Borough Council, said: “The benefits of the Third River Crossing for the borough and region are huge, and the borough council is absolutely committed to working with partners across the public and private sectors to make a compelling case to Government for the funding required to make this important piece of infrastructure a reality.”
Martin Wilby, Chairman of Norfolk County Council’s Environment, Development and Transport Committee, said: “The third river crossing is vital to Great Yarmouth’s future prosperity. The town has enormous potential for economic growth, with its burgeoning status as a hub for the offshore renewable energy industry as well as hosting two government-designated Enterprise Zone areas.”
Norfolk County Council’s proposal for a third river crossing would see a lifting bridge constructed linking the newly-renumbered A47 (formerly A12) at the Harfreys roundabout in the Southtown area of Yarmouth to the port and the Enterprise Zones on the other side of the river. The new bridge would help to reduce traffic build-up on the town’s roads, particularly on its existing Haven and Breydon bridges over the River Yare which often become congested during ‘rush hour’ times and peak tourist seasons.
It is estimated that £120 million would need to be spent between now and the project’s completion to design and construct the bridge, with Norfolk County Council seeking 80% of these costs from the Department for Transport and 20% to come from a local contribution. This could come from a variety of sources, possibly including, but not limited to, the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, local authorities and the private sector.
The third river crossing is part of a wider plan to transform the Great Yarmouth area over the coming years to make it easier for people to get to and around and make it a more attractive place to live, work and visit. This will help attract future investment and development to the area, creating skilled jobs, business opportunities and giving local people a better quality of life.
Between March and April 2013, unemployment fell across Norfolk by 4.6%
Over 17,800 current claimants in Norfolk between 16 – 64 years old
3.4% of Norfolk’s population is claiming unemployment benefits
National Figures
In the three months to March 2013, unemployment rose by 15,000, and employment fell by 43,000
Youth unemployment down 17,000, but still above 950,000
The claimant count fell 7,300 between March and April 2013
Commenting on the unemployment figures for May 2013, published today by the ONS, Caroline Williams, Chief Executive, Norfolk Chamber of Commerce said: “It is disappointing that overall the UK unemployment figures are rising but Norfolk continues to show that its local economy is ahead of the rest of the country with unemployment figures across Norfolk decreasing. It is particularly pleasing to note that Norfolk businesses are rising to the challenge relating to employing young people with an upward take up trend for apprentices reported. Norfolk’s exporters continue to report strong order books. Business confidence in Norfolk is still fragile but there is an increasing feeling of cautious optimism.”
David Kern, Chief Economist at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) said: “It is disappointing that once again we are seeing a rise in unemployment, even if the figures are slightly better than expected. However we have a relatively robust labour market in the UK, and a much lower unemployment rate than that of the eurozone. It is also pleasing that the number of those claiming benefits fell in April. “Worryingly, total pay has risen by only 0.4% compared with a year earlier, the lowest since 2009. With earnings growing at a rate far below inflation, disposable incomes are being squeezed, and it is important that the MPC takes no action that will add further to inflation. It is crucial that the government develops a stronger growth strategy, focusing on areas such as infrastructure, that will enable businesses to create jobs.”
John Wastnage, Employment Policy Adviser at the BCC, added: “With unemployment rising and average wages falling, the latest labour market figures suggest the UK jobs market is starting to run out of steam. The weak economic climate is taking its toll on business confidence and public sector cuts continue to bite. Our own research also suggests we may see a further, modest weakening in labour market conditions over the coming months.
“Against this backdrop, there is even more pressure on the government to implement a bold and effective growth strategy that will enable businesses to expand and to drive economic recovery. Businesses have the hunger and determination to do this, but need more support so they are able to achieve their full potential. The government should also look to radically shift its priorities through allocating more current spending towards capital investment, which will create jobs and wealth over the long-term.”
The Chamber team spent Thursday (23 March) out of the office on a day of fun and team-building.
We started the day at Quasar Norwich by splitting into two equal teams and shooting lasers at one another. It was great fun, with the red team (Jason, Jack, Nova, Emily, Naomi, Tina and Julie) coming out victorious over the blue team (Caroline, Jake, Joe, Louise, Darcy, Philippa and Jenny) in both games.
Food was next on the agenda as the team arrived at Chamber member The Library Restaurant for a well-earned lunch.
The team finished the day with some puzzling solving in the History Mystery Escape Rooms (another Chamber member) at the Norwich Guildhall. Team A (Jack, Joe, Tina, Julie, Caroline, Louise and Jenny) completed both puzzles with time to spare earnig them a silver and a gold badge. Team ‘Chambe Detectives’ (Jason, Jake, Nova, Darcy, EMily, Naomi and Philippa) managed to come away with a silver badge after completing their second puzzle, but with over 5 minutes to spare!
The Prime Minister, Theresa May will trigger Article 50 on Wednesday 29 March 2017. This will start the process to take the UK from out of the European Union.
Whilst many predicted that Brexit would cause a crisis for the UK’s economy, the reality is that, apart from an initial significant slump in the Pound, and its continued reduced value, the overall UK economy grew by 1.8% in 2016.
Norfolk’s most successful businesses recognise the need to stay positive and be able to take advantage of a whatever situation the economy finds itself in. They understand that there are opportunities in times of uncertainty, as well as risks.
Commenting on the position of his company, in relation to Brexit, Gordon Chetwood, Managing Director of Pasta Foods Ltd 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.”
For the next edition of the Norfolk Voice magazine, we want to hear from more Chamber members about the impact of Brexit on them. What they have been doing, as a result of Brexit, and what plans they have to take advantage of future opportunities.
Has your company taken advantage of the lower Pound and increased your exports; are you looking at new markets; or trying to source new suppliers – perhaps from within the UK? What future opportunities do you see as a result of Brexit?
Also, what does your business need to see from the Brexit negotiations? Just a few of the business comments we have heard so far include: the overall need for clarity; a bureaucratic-free system for EU workers; simplified regulations post Brexit and a reduction in red tape; and to keep tariffs with the EU to a minimum.
Please send your comments to Nova Fairbank. Email: [email protected] by no later than close of play on Friday 31 March 2017.
Businesses across the Norfolk, particularly in rural areas, are still without reliable broadband connections, despite companies saying the availability of fully functional broadband is extremely important to their operations, according to the results of a survey released today (Monday) by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).
All Norfolk companies surveyed (100%) say a reliable broadband connection is important, (90% say extremely so), yet one in five (20%) suffer from unreliable connections (12% not very reliable; 8% not at all reliable).
The findings also show that firms in rural areas are at least twice as likely to have unreliable connections (30%) as those in towns (15%), inner cities (13%), and suburban areas (12%).
Smaller businesses are the most likely to suffer from unreliable broadband, with nearly a quarter (24%) of sole traders and 21% of micro-businesses reporting problems.
The survey suggests that more reliable connections would allow businesses to do more. Over half of businesses (54%) say if the reliability of their broadband connection was improved it would allow them to use more applications, particularly cloud-based services (24%), transfer of large files (16%), remote server access for employees (14%).
Nova Fairbank, Public Affairs Manager of Norfolk Chamber said:
“Norfolk’s business community report that our digital infrastructure is still not fit for purpose. Throughout the county, significant numbers of companies of every size and sector lack reliable internet connectivity – a basic requirement for businesses to operate efficiently in today’s world.
“Unreliable connections stunt productivity, causing needless delays, costs and frustration. While businesses across the county are affected, the BCC research shows that its rural areas and small businesses that are most likely to suffer. An unreliable connection acts as an obstacle to growth, and puts those firms most in need of support at a competitive disadvantage.”
Commenting on the national picture, Dr Adam Marshall, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said:
“We’ve been calling on both providers and on government for years to fund the necessary upgrades required to deliver superfast broadband to business communities. Regulators, too, must ensure that firms actually get the quality and speeds of connection they are promised. While we welcome recent ministerial announcements about investing in 5G technology and efforts to build a world-class digital infrastructure in the UK, there is still a long way to go in getting the basics right.
“The immediate focus must be on providing all companies with connections that are reliable and of sufficient speed, which would boost business confidence and encourage firms to maximise opportunities for growth, trade and investment.”
Described as a landmark agreement, the EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is the first deal between the EU and a country in South East Asia.
Once it enters into force, the FTA will provide greater market access and will remove customs duties and other barriers to trade. Sectors anticipated to benefit particularly include pharmaceuticals, electronics, chemicals and food products.
Despite being concluded in October 2014, the FTA has not yet entered into force as, before it can do so, it must be ratified.
The ratification process has been delayed because the EU’s Court of Justice (CJEU) has been asked to decide on the areas of competence which apply to the European Commission and the EU Member States when it comes to making bilateral trade deals.
The Court’s opinion is expected in the first half of this year. In advance of the decision, both the EU and Singapore have reaffirmed their commitment to the deal.
On a recent visit to Singapore, EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström said that the FTA “will open doors and create opportunities for companies big and small, help to boost economic growth and investment, and create jobs”.
Noting that Singapore and the EU are longstanding partners with a shared belief in free and open trade within a rules-based global trading system, Trade Minister Lim Hng Kiang said that the new agreement will reinforce his country’s efforts to remain open and connected while strengthening its robust economic relations with the EU.
In 2016, the EU was Singapore’s second largest trading partner, accounting for 11% of its global trade. Singapore is the EU’s largest trading partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region.
The official publication by the European standardisation body CEN Standard of Customs Competency for Customs Representatives (EN 16992:2017) has been welcomed by leading trade bodies.
CONFIAD, the Pan European Network of Customs Brokers and Customs Representatives, and CLECAT, the European association of freight forwarders, transport and customs-related services, said that it would promote professionalism, skills and knowledge in the customs representation within the EU.
Both bodies have promoted and financed the development of the CEN Standard.
Under the management of AFNOR (the French National Standardisation Body), it was developed by CEN, taking the Customs competency framework for private sector published by the European Commission into consideration.
Jean-François Auzeau, Chairman of the Customs Institute in CLECAT, said: “Whereas investments made to develop interoperability between electronic systems for the exchange of information, single window, etc will support daily operations in customs, a high level of expertise of the customs representative to secure compliance in the supply chain will remain critical for professionalism and good service to our shipper clients.”
In line with the criteria of customs competency required by the Authorised Economic Operator – Customs (AEO(C)) status in the Union Customs Code, the new Standard will support customs representation services offered by any customs representative in an EU Member State where the customs representative is not established.
At national level, each National Standardisation Body will now need to prepare and finalise the national publication of the Standard.
The A47 Alliance are hosting an ‘Infrastructure and Economic Growth’ business breakfast, with the right honourable Mr John Hayes, Minister of State at the Department for Transport.
The A47 Alliance brings together stakeholders – including Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, the local enterprise partnerships, local authorities and other business representatives – along the entire length of the trunk road from Lowestoft to the A1 at Peterborough.
The Alliance was grateful to government for previously recognising the vital importance of the A47 in the trunk road programme from 2015 to 2020 (known as RIS1) as a nationally important strategic road, deserving of crucial funding to undertake key improvements along sections of the A47.
Moving towards announcements for the 2020 to 2025 programme (RIS2), we are inviting key businesses along the route in Norfolk, Suffolk, Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire to a business breakfast.
Jonathan Cage, President of the Norfolk Chamber confirmed his attendance at the breakfast and said:
“Norfolk Chamber and the A47 Alliance members want to hear first-hand business views on the A47 and how this relates to the successful economic growth in our region.”
Martin Wilby, the Chair of the A47 Alliance said:
“We will use this important opportunity to update Norfolk businesses on the RIS1 schemes’ progress and hear directly from businesses in the East on what essential infrastructure improvements they would like to see happen to secure the future success of their businesses.”
The A47 Alliance’s ultimate goal is the full dualling of the A47 with appropriate grade separation. A fully dualled A47 will help to boost the economic prosperity of a large part of the East of England and make a significant contribution to the national economy.
The estimated cost of a fully dualled A47 is £1.4bn and through a combination of selected improvements, there could be up to 16,890 jobs created within 20 years, with an increase of £706m in economic output (GVA). As well as over 10,500 new homes.
Spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis. To reserve your place please email: [email protected]
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 2013/14 In a recent Notice to Exporters (2013/11), the ECO advised that changes to SPIRE, that would enable you to provide them with information to meet government transparency requirements, would be completed in April. It has since become clear that further development time is necessary and they are now planning to roll out the reporting system in July.
On Tuesday 28th March, over 30 delegates joined us to learn more about the business opportunities in Japan at the Holiday Inn, Norwich. The event proved to be an informative and relaxed introduction to the cultural norms of doing business in Japan as well as the allures of the Japanese market as part of our international event series. The venue provided the attendees with plenty of tea and coffee as well as spacious and comfortable setting on this sunny afternoon.
Norfolk Chamber’s International Trade Manager, Julie Austin, welcomed delegates to the event, introducing our four expert presenters from companies: Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), Integro Languages and Barclays. First up to speak was Daisaku Yukita, Deputy Director-General of JEtro, who highlighted the draws of the Japanese market and an overall impression of the challenges and solutions to doing Business in Japan.
Next up were Tom Bool and Shohei Yamaguchi from Integro Languages. Tom spoke about how crucial gaining linguistic support was in growing your business internationally. He then introduced Shohei, a Japanese national and head of Integro’s Asian languages division, who provided a crash course on what to expect from interactions with Japanese business community and the pitfalls to avoid.
The delegates were then provided with a delicious range of cakes and refreshments, allowing the opportunity to network with one another and discuss some of the subject matter introduced by our speakers.
Cake and tea consumed, Phil Ball, Director of Trade Sales at Barclays, then took to the podium to indicate some financial tips and issues when trading with Japan.
Julie also gave a short presentation on how the chamber can help your business to expand overseas. If you would like any more information on how we can help, please visit our international page or contact the team:
We closed the event with a Q&A session, after which, many delegates took the chance to talk further with the speakers and get in some final networking to make those all-important contacts.