Chamber News

A deal with the Council of Ministers to give customs officials at EU borders better tools to confiscate, store and destroy goods that infringe intellectual property rights (IPR) has been endorsed by a leading European Parliament committee.

The Internal Market Committee noted that imports that infringe IPR are a growing problem in the EU due in particular to the rising volume of goods bought by EU citizens online and shipped to them by post from countries outside the Union.

Piracy and counterfeiting alone cost European businesses €250 billion in lost sales each year.

The new regulation on Customs enforcement of IPR aims to improve the effectiveness of customs controls so as to prevent illegal or dangerous products from entering the EU while setting down clear rules on detention and destruction procedures.

The new rules, which are to apply directly in all Member States from 1 January 2014, will allow customs officials to work faster and more effectively.

They include a simplified procedure to allow the destruction of goods without a court order, provided that the copyright holder agrees and the importer does not object.

A special procedure for small consignments of up to three kilos will also speed up the destruction of counterfeit goods. The new rules set a 10-day deadline for the importer to object before the good is destroyed.

In general IPR holders asking the customs authorities to enforce their rights would bear the costs of destroying the goods. However, the right holder could seek compensation from the infringer or other persons, including intermediaries such as carriers.

Non-commercial goods carried in a traveller’s personal luggage are excluded from the new regulation’s scope.

Eight areas, listed by the Chancellor in a speech at the Royal Society last November, are to receive significant funding after he identified them as vital to the UK’s future growth and to helping it stay ahead in the global race.

The Minister for Universities and Science, David Willetts, has confirmed that £600 million is to be invested in “big data”, space, robotics and autonomous systems, synthetic biology, regenerative medicine, agri-science, advanced materials and energy.

He noted the unique strengths of the UK’s research base but stressed that the Government now needs to capitalise on this by backing the right technologies and helping to take them through to market.

Mr Willetts said: “Strong science and flexible markets is a good combination of policies. But it is not enough. It misses out crucial stuff in the middle – real decisions on backing key technologies on their journey from the lab to the marketplace. It is the missing third pillar to any successful high tech strategy.”

He also announced a £350 million investment from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) in Centres for Doctoral Training and a £1 million Technology Strategy Board competition to help to accelerate the development of concepts where robots are able to interact with each other and humans.

Of the latest funding, £35 million is to go to centres of excellence in robotics and autonomous systems to be created in and around universities, innovation centres, science parks and enterprise sites to bring together the research base and industry.

Another £45 million will be provided for new facilities and equipment for advanced materials research in areas of UK strength such as advanced composites, high-performance alloys, low-energy electronics and telecommunications.

Lee Hopley, Chief economist at EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, said that the new measures should help to address the barriers faced by innovative SMEs in accessing expertise and facilities.

“Public spending on innovation spending, just as much as science, offers high returns and this should be a priority in the Government’s forthcoming Spending Review,” she said.

Business competitiveness and export performance are increasingly tied to countries’ integration into global production chains and a willingness to open markets to wider imports.

This is one of the key findings of the preliminary international trade data released by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Their joint “Trade in Value-Added Initiative” breaks with conventional measurements of trade, which record gross flows of goods and services each time they cross borders.

It seeks instead to analyse the value added by a country in the production of any good or service that is then exported, and offers, the partners believe, a fuller picture of commercial relations between nations.

“Countries’ capacity to sell to the world depends on their ability and readiness to buy from the rest of the world,” OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria said during the launch of the new database in Paris.

Among the key findings are: China’s bilateral trade surplus with the USA shrinks by 25% on a value-added basis, reflecting the high level of foreign-sourced content in Chinese exports; one-third of the total value of motor vehicles exported from Germany actually comes from other countries; nearly 40% of the total value of China’s electronics exports come from foreign sources.

While conventional trade data suggests that services represent less than one-quarter of total trade, on a value-added basis services trade reaches an average 50% of OECD countries’ exports.

It is in fact well above that in the USA, the UK, France, Germany and Italy – in large part because services add significant value to manufacturing output.

The Norfolk Chamber are at thethe Norfolk Catering and Hospitality Expo 2013 held at the Norfolk Showground. As Partners of Norfolk Expo the Chamber is here to show our support for all the Norfolk Businesses in these sectors.

The one stop trade only show for anyone working in or supplying to the hospitality and catering sectors in Norfolk and the East Anglian Region.

With over 150 stands, a restaurant and a demonstration stage offering a full programme of events for the trade this is a chance to celebrate the £2.6bn of business the industry generates in the area.

Many Norfolk Chamber Members are exhibiting here as well. Full information on the vent can be found here:https://www.norfolkexpo.co.uk/

Legal and trade relations between Dubai and the UK will be strengthened through a Memorandum of Guidance (MoG) signed in London on 23 January.

This brings together the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts – the leading English-language commercial court in the Middle East – and the Commercial Court of England and Wales, the world’s leading Commercial Court.

Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is now widely recognised as the investment and business hub of the Middle East.

The MoG is designed to assist investors, businessmen and lawyers in the UK who wish to develop closer trade and investment links with the Emirate – and vice versa.

The Memorandum clarifies existing arrangements between the two courts, defining such issues as the mutual enforcement of judgments, in accordance with principles and practices set out in detail in the document.

It accordingly reflects the historic trade and industry links between the UK and the UAE, while reinforcing a shared commitment to providing the highest standards of commercial justice.

Mr Justice Cooke, Judge In Charge of the Commercial Court, said: “A surprising number of people today are unaware of the reciprocity between courts. While reiterating the existing relationship between DIFC Courts and the Commercial Court in London, the MoG sets out the basis upon which judgments of one court can be enforced in the other and helps to engender an atmosphere in which business can flourish.”

Trade through the terminals and cargo handling facilities on the tidal Thames fell by 10% to 43.7 million tonnes during 2012, the Port of London Authority (PLA) has announced.

The principal reason for the reduction of 5.1 million tonnes year-on-year in port trade was the closure of the Coryton oil refinery at the end of May.

The volumes of unitised (container) cargoes, cereals and biomass all increased, while the volume of all other types of cargo reduced.

PLA Chief Executive Richard Everitt said: “2012 was a tough year for trade on the river. The closure of the Coryton terminal, one of the largest cargo handling facilities on the river, was compounded by limited growth or declines in other cargoes.”

The medium term prospects for trade on the river nevertheless look very strong, he continued, as the main benefit of having a terminal on the Thames – proximity to the UK’s biggest consumer market – continues to attract major investment.

During 2013, Coryton is expected to re-open under new owners as an oil products import facility, the London Gateway container port will open, work will be well underway at the Port of Tilbury’s London Distribution Centre, and Stolt Neilsen will be developing a facility at Dagenham.

Oil and gas developments in East Africa are creating new business development opportunities for SMEs. The Africa Business Centre, operated by Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce, is organising a five-day trade mission for UK based SMEs.

It will provide a comprehensive introduction to oil and gas opportunities in Uganda and Tanzania via briefings and meetings with key government and commercial contacts. The aim is to equip delegates with all relevant information and contacts to support their future entry to the market.

For details of the schedule and costs, please click here.

Expanding on Qatar’s economic growth and continuing to build UK-Qatar trade links, the MEA is leading a Trade Mission to Qatar in the spring, 25th-28th March.

This multi-sector Trade Mission will focus on the opportunities arising from Qatar’s needs as it progresses towards hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup and will cater to all needs as it will offer delegates, with the assistance of UKTI, the opportunity to gain direct access to ministries, decision makers and to commercial leaders as well as meetings with potential clients and business partners.

For further information, please click here.

The Export Control Organisation (ECO) is the UK’s regulatory ‘strategic’ export licensing authority and forms part of the UK’s Department for Business.

Recent Notices that they have issued to all Exporters, can be found below:

Notice 2013/01 The ECO has amended the Open General Export Licence* (Military Goods). The licence has been revised to make the text easier to understand, while adhering to legal requirements in line with export control legislation.

Notice 2013/02 The ECO has amended the Open General Export Licence* (Military Goods: Government or NATO End-Use). The licence has been revised to make the text easier to understand, while adhering to legal requirements in line with export control legislation.

Notice 2013/03 Some businesses have been delivering military surplus vehicles through destinations not permitted by Open General Export Licence (Military Surplus Vehicles). This notice makes it clear that if goods are unloaded into a country, that country is considered to be the final destination. Any subsequent movement of the goods will be considered to be re-exporting.

Notice 2013/04 The new paid-for service will provide the documentation required by a number of Port States in the Indian Ocean regarding Maritime Anti-Piracy services provided by UK Private Security Companies.

Notice 2013/05 The ECO have discovered a mistake in Open General Export Licence (Military Goods, Software and Technology) – an incorrect email address. They have apologised for this error and the text has now been corrected.

Notice 2013/06 The ECO have discovered a further mistake in Open General Export Licence (Military Goods, Software and Technology: Government or NATO End Use) – an incorrect email address. They have apologised for this error and the text has now been corrected.

Notice 2013/07 As part of the Export Control Organisation’s ongoing Service Improvement Programme, a number of changes have been made to the SPIRE system that will enhance its effectiveness and streamline the process of making export licence applications for exporters.

The Brazilian economy has been predicted to become one of the five largest in the world in thedecades to come. In the last 15 years, the country has pursued a strategy of export-led growth and regional integration. The economy is relatively well diversified with a strong manufacturing and agricultural base. But economic activity is still concentrated in the southeast, particularly in the state of Sao Paulo.

ECONOMIC OUTLOOK Brazil’s economy slowed unexpectedly, growing by 0.6% in the three months to September versus the previous quarter. Growth for 2012 now looks set to be closer to 1%, compared with 2. 7% last year and 7.5% in 2010. President Dilma Rousseff launched the first in a series of measures aimed at injecting up to $50bn (£32bn) into the economy over the next five years, and increasing the private sector’s role in the economy. The plan included privatising about 14,000km of railways and roads, followed by selling ports and lowering energy costs.

TRADE OUTLOOK Latin America, China and Europe are expected to be Brazil’s top exporters over the medium term. Trade with Asia (excluding Japan) already accounts for more than a quarter of Brazil’s merchandise exports. The continued rapid industrialisation of these Asian economies is expected to drive further demand for raw materials from Brazil in coming years. China and Vietnam will be the fastest-growing export destinations over this period, ensuring that China retains its position as the most important destination for Brazilian export s. 40% of Brazil’s imports arrive from Europe, followed by 16% from the US and China. The UK falls behind Germany, India, Mexico, Nigeria and Chile, with only 1.7% of imports.

OPPORTUNITIES The fifth-largest country in the world, it has one of the world’s most rapidly developing economies and a GDP per head greater than either India or China. Certain sectors of the Brazilian market have experienced higher than average growth, such as air transportation, telecoms, oil and gas, and mining. Under the second phase of the Growth Acceleration Program the Government of Brazil will spend around US$470 billion in development of the country’s energy generation and infrastructure as well as stadiums as it prepares for the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016. Other promising areas include construction, aerospace and aviation, electrical power, safety and security devices, environmental technologies, retail and transportation. SWOT ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS World’s sixth largest economy High population

WEAKNESSES Corruption Political risk

OPPORTUNITIES 2014 World Cup, 2016 Olympics Growing middle class Manufacturing

THREATS Export driven economy Real currency Very high interest rates

Abellio train operator Greater Anglia has launched ‘Job Track’ a free rail ticket scheme for job seekers in the region. The scheme will help the unemployed by offering free train tickets to travel to job interviews and when successful in gaining employment, further help is available with a free season ticket for their first two months in work.

The ‘Job Track’ scheme is a new initiative by Greater Anglia, aimed at helping the unemployed find work and to broaden the horizons of job seekers to consider employment opportunities outside of their immediate local area, within reasonable commuting distances.

Greater Anglia will offer those joining the scheme a maximum of six day return tickets to attend job interviews at locations within the train operator’s network, and on securing work eligible applicants can apply for an initial two-month season ticket free-of-charge. This will provide those successful in securing employment with a month to establish themselves in their new job, followed by a second month of free travel to assist them in putting their finances on a firm footing.

The scheme is being promoted and publicised at Job Centres and applicants meeting the required criteria to qualify for the scheme, will be able to apply for tickets through the Greater Anglia website at: www.greateranglia.co.uk/jobtrack

Ruud Haket, Managing Director, Greater Anglia said: “We’re very keen to play a positive role in the communities we serve across London and the East of England. This scheme will assist those looking for work and when finding employment, offers a great help to people at a time when money is tight. We hope it will prove attractive to job seekers across our region in their efforts to get back to work.”

Train operator, Greater Anglia is working with tourism organisation, Visit East Anglia, to boost visitor numbers to the region and attract couples looking for a romantic short break over Valentine’s weekend.

The partnership has created a package of special offers which create the perfect romantic escape to East Anglia’s vibrant cities, historic market towns, picturesque countryside and stunning coastal retreats and are exclusive to visitors arriving by train.

The production of two brochures – ‘Shop East Anglia’ and ‘Stay East Anglia’ – which are free and available from rail stations or www.greateranglia.co.uk offer a whole range of vouchers and special offers valid in shops, restaurants, hotels, accommodation and attractions across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex which can only be used in conjunction with a valid train ticket.

Couples looking for the perfect luxury escape can choose from 50 money saving offers such as a special rate of £99 per night at the luxurious De Vere Dunston Hall Hotel near Norwich, which includes a two course dinner, B&B for two guests and a bottle of wine, 10% off luxury self catering cottages in Cambridge plus two for one entry into Duxford Air Museum and two for one on College Backs tours with the Scudamores Punting Company, £45 per person per night B&B at the Stoke-By-Nayland Hotel, Golf & Spa, near Colchester (when spending £25pp on Dinner or a spa treatment for two), or three nights for the price of two at the Sandcastle Guest House, Lowestoft.

Further savings can be made with Greater Anglia’s range of Advance tickets available from as little as £6 one way or the GroupSave ticket which means that three or four people can travel off peak for the price of two (terms and conditions apply).

Lucy Downing of Visit East Anglia, said, “Our ‘Shop’ and ‘Stay’ brochures aim to promote the region as a fantastic place for a short break or holiday and boost visitor numbers in the early part of the year. With the fast, easy rail links and Advance fares from Greater Anglia, teamed with money saving offers on shopping and accommodation, we hope that couples looking for that luxury break for less will choose East Anglia this Valentine’s Day.”