No matter where you turn, the global economic downturn is everyone's focus, as it needs to be. This is true for the Government, and it is true for SITPRO. BERR, SITPRO's Government sponsor, states in its strategic objectives that it is "completely focused on getting UK business through the global economic downturn and emerging stronger on the other side" and SITPRO's Business Plan for 2009/10, has been undergoing a similar re-orientation. At its heart will be the 2008 Pre-Budget Report review into the cost of international trade regulation in the UK.
Since we announced our major consultation with business in the last issue, we have been explaining the review to international trade fora, sector stakeholder groups and others up and down the country, to ensure that businesses have a chance to contribute their priorities for reducing costs related to the movement of goods across the UK border. We are also carrying out a programme of one-to-one discussions with businesses to draw out priorities and recommendations for how costs can be reduced and processes simplified.
We have issued a short consultation document and I want to encourage as many businesses as possible to send in responses to us by the end of May. You may also like to look on our website at the list of emerging issues at www.sitpro.org.uk/regreview/issues.html. The top ten are shown and you may want to add your weight to the more than 150 respondents that have already registered their votes for the issues (not necessarily confined to the current top ten) that should command the most attention and add your comments about these issues.
The results of the consultation will be fed into a Government Action Plan alongside the 2009 Pre-Budget Report, which will be published in the autumn. This is driving the timetable and is why we would like your responses so soon, in order to ensure if they are to have a real impact on the conclusions and recommendations we are reaching and making on behalf of business.
Return to SITPRO News: Issue 68, Spring 2009
