SITPRO welcomes the Government’s action plan for Simplifying Trade Across UK Borders, released today, as a positive step towards addressing the issues raised by traders during the recent consultation exercise.
SITPRO’s study of the cost of international trade regulations, the findings of which have been published alongside the Government action plan, established that the biggest problem for international traders is the cumulative effect of small inefficiencies, misunderstandings and missing information that cause delays and take up precious man-hours.
SITPRO’s Chief Executive, Malcolm McKinnon, said, “Making the trading environment more efficient is vital to the success of UK businesses. From our consultation, one of the key areas where business believes efficiency can be improved is in streamlining the way border agencies work with each other in the management of freight movements. Enhanced co-ordination of both policy and operations will help traders enormously, by improving clearance times and ensuring that the Government is better placed strategically to deliver simpler regulation at UK borders.”
As the UK’s trade facilitation body, SITPRO is taking a leading role in the delivery of the action plan. It will be co-ordinating the work of the new International Trade Facilitation Committee, ensuring that all Departments with international trade responsibilities are able to work in concert to reduce the barriers that businesses face at the border and the burden placed upon traders by European regulations.
SITPRO will also be taking a part in work to reinvigorate the development of an International Trade Single Window for the UK and in the Government’s efforts to promote international trade as a career path and improve access to the advice and education that businesses require to trade effectively. SITPRO’s Chairman, Norman Rose, said, “For the last forty years, SITPRO's primary mission has been to make international trade easier. We were pleased to lead the consultation exercise that has taken place during the last year and are delighted to be taking a central role in the delivery of an action plan which will help UK traders for many years to come.”
Note to Editors
Keeping Goods Moving , SITPRO’s response to the Government’s action plan, which sets out the organisation’s new agenda and how it will address the issues of most concern to traders, is available online at http://www.sitpro.org.uk/regreview-keepinggoodsmoving.
The November 2008 Pre-Budget Report announced that a joint BIS/HMRC review of UK border regulatory burdens would be carried out. The action plan published today is the culmination of that review. The action plan and other supporting documents can be found at http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/simplifyingtrade.
SITPRO, the UK's Trade Facilitation Agency, was established in 1970 to simplify international trade and much of its work has focussed upon improving the procedures at ports and borders, looking at issues such as improving the arrangements for inspecting goods at the border and streamlining the submission of data to government.
SITPRO is a non-departmental public body funded by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and undertakes policy work at national, European and international levels.
For further information visit SITPRO's website at http://www.sitpro.org.uk/.
SITPRO News Release - 2 December 2009
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