Global

We’re your gateway to international trade, providing a unique combination of expert knowledge, essential documentation and the business connections needed to capitalise on new market opportunities overseas and succeed in a global marketplace.

Documentation processing over the Christmas Break

The Chamber will close at 1.00pm on Friday 24 December and re-open at 9.00am on Tuesday 4 January. We will process online documents on Friday 31 December from 10.00am-1.00pm. Please ensure you upload all supporting paperwork to enable us to process these applications or email internationaltrade@cambscci.co.uk. The last date for submitting consular documentation is 11.00am on Monday 20 December. Documents submitted after this time will not be processed until Tuesday 4 January.

REX: Invoice Statements - Declaration of Origin:

If you are importing goods into the UK from a country or bloc with whom we have a free trade agreement (FTA), your overseas supplier will need to declare the goods originated in their country. Each FTA will have an official notification in the documentation. It could be a statement on the invoice, a Certificate of Origin, a preferential trade certificate, a supplier’s declaration, a trusted trader status i.e REX (Registered Exporter), Approved Exporter (AE) or Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) or evidence that the goods originate in a GSP country. Whatever it is, you as the importer of record must show HMRC that you have done sufficient due diligence to prove the goods you are importing meet FTA preference rules. As this is a new chapter in our relationship with the EU, from 1 January 2022 all suppliers from Europe must have a REX authorisation. The REX registered number must be shown on their Commercial Invoice for the goods to enter the UK duty free. Any goods arriving at the UK customs border point without the REX authorisation number will have an import duty charge if the products commodity code carries duty. It is important that all businesses bring this to the attention of all their EU suppliers. It is very easy to get REX authorisation and it is free. For UK companies exporting to the EU, they will continue to put officially worded origin declarations on their commercial invoices. For the rest of the world UK-EUR1 preferential trade certificates, Certificates of Origin, invoice statement declarations, long term supplier’s declarations or a trusted trader status (REX, AE, AEO) etc will be used to prove origin.

Document Translation – How Does It Work?

Have you ever purchased a new product, opened the instruction manual and noticed how it’s written in several languages? That’s the magic of document translation! To put it simply, document translation is the process of transferring a written text from one language to another. But it’s so much more than that! Language translation has had a remarkable impact on the world, as it’s enabled people from all corners of the planet to communicate and share information – how amazing is that? At PAB we understand the importance of communication, which is why we offer our translation services in over 200 languages (and counting!) including Spanish, French, Arabic, Chinese and English, to name a few. Recognised by both the public and private sector, we take pride in the quality of our translations and provide our services for a range of companies both nationwide and internationally. Our dedicated team of native translators specialise in professional, certified translations for all types of documents, ranging from immigration paperwork to visa applications. And each project we deliver for you is handled with the care you’d expect from an award-winning team. Firstly, we offer a complimentary, five-minute telephone consultation to get a clear understanding of your needs. Then, our skilled translators analyse the documents each step of the way, translating every word with speed and accuracy, ensuring that you have a dynamic, content rich document. And you can be assured of our attention to detail as every project we deliver on goes through our 5-step quality process.

So… why is language translation so important?

Let’s take the German word ‘Treppenwitz’ for example, which means “a clever remark that comes to mind when it’s too late to say it.” There is no word or expression equivalent to this in English, however a translator would know precisely how to grasp that ‘Treppenwitz’ and convey it to you in your native language. Sure, they might have to use a couple more words, or perhaps reword the entire paragraph, but the meaning remains the same. Professional translation comes with a person that is well versed in the language as well as the culture so when they come across words such as “Treppenwitz”, they know exactly how to translate it correctly! This is why using a skilled, certified translator is crucial – they are able to identify words and phrases a machine would overlook. PAB languages was founded on the belief that great things happen with true and transparent collaboration between our staff, clients and community, regardless of their language, location, or culture. We’re proud to be ISO 9001 accredited and we pride ourselves on accuracy and speed of delivery. Our main goal is to ensure your materials are always translated with the highest level of precision, whilst respecting cultural standards and values. Whether it’s a five-word translation or an entire book, you can always rely on us to translate your documents with quality and care. The Chamber work in partnership with PAB Languages to offer translation services. To find out more, or to receive a translation quote, please mail translation@cambscci.co.uk

8 out of 10 firms report increased prices as issues in supply chains mount

New BCC data from a survey of over 1,000 businesses has thrown sharp focus on the impact of skills and commodities shortages for UK firms, with spiralling prices in evidence. The data show an overwhelming majority of businesses are raising prices as they face acute shortages and cost pressures - with vehicle fuel, shipping containers and utilities cited as the top areas of concern. When asked if they had seen a change in the price of their goods or services in the past year, 80 per cent of respondents in total reported increases, with 46 per cent reporting significant increases and 34 per cent reporting slight increases. 15 per cent reported no change with only two per cent reporting any kind of decrease. For manufacturers the above question drew an even starker answer – 92 per cent had seen an increase in the price of their good and services. When asked whether they, or any business in their supply chain, had experienced either increased costs or shortages of a variety of commodities over the past 12 months the results were striking: • Of all respondents: 52% cited vehicle fuel, 34% shipping containers and 30% utilities such as gas or electricity • Of manufacturers: 50% cited steel, 47% shipping containers, 45% vehicle fuel, 39% paper or cardboard, 38% plastics or rubber, 29% chemicals, 19% semiconductors. Only 2% of manufacturers reported that they had not faced increased costs or shortages from the items listed. Half (50%) of businesses surveyed reported that either they, or others within their supply chains, had experienced skills shortages in the past 12 months. This figure rose to 75 per cent for larger firms with over 50 employees and was least prevalent among firms employing less than 10 people at 31 per cent. Roles commonly mentioned included HGV drivers, engineers, warehouse staff, accountants, chefs and IT technicians. Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “These figures present a deeply worrying picture of the difficulties that businesses are currently facing, across multiple fronts as supply chain disruption persists. “Firms are facing huge pressures as they battle to keep on track for Christmas and provide the goods and services the UK needs, but we have yet to see any concrete steps to address these issues. “Unless action is taken soon, firms could be forced to cut back on their capacity or limit the range of products they offer. “The huge number of unfilled vacancies is placing further strain on staff having to cover, and Covid is also still with us. With more than 30,000 people a day having to isolate, it presents another ongoing disruption to the workforce which businesses must grapple with. “While there are some global issues at play, there are levers that the Government can pull to improve current business conditions, for example, the introduction of an energy price cap for SMEs and providing more temporary visas in the hardest hit sectors through expansion of the Shortage Occupation List. “The new Supply Chain Advisory Group must look carefully at these and other solutions to the immediate and longerterm challenges. “Firms also want to see a moratorium on all policy measures that increase upfront business costs for the remainder of this Parliament.”