BLUEPRINT FOR THE FUTURE OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE
Report by Ulric Spencer of meeting of 4 September 2002

Ian Wilkins, HMCE described the ‘blue-skies’ thinking which was being applied to the reporting of international trade procedures with the intention of achieving simplification, whilst retaining flexibility. The intention was to reduce the number of times information about a consignment is supplied ultimately to only once. Although the consequent review of trade statistics was mentioned in passing, it was too early to indicate what the effects of all the proposed changes would be. Questions from the floor relating to inter-country commodity code comparability were as yet unanswerable.