The higher the risk, the higher the reward – companies must remember this old rule when expanding their global supply chains into new markets, and therefore new regulatory regimes. Kevin Willis, vice president of international trade compliance at Tyco International, will discuss these trade compliance risks in his presentation at the SCOPE Spring conference in Baltimore April 26-28.

Global companies must navigate a regulatory minefield when expanding their supply chains into new territories. Willis will describe how Tyco International uses Amber Road’s Trade Automation solution to manage its exports, restricted party screening, and supply chain risk as it expands into new markets. A trade automation solution put Tyco International on the path to efficiency, optimization and compliance.

On March 9, 2015, President Obama signed a new Executive Order blocking property and suspending entry of certain persons contributing to the “erosion of human rights” in Venezuela. The sanctions are in response to the Venezuelan Government’s "persecution of political opponents, curtailment of press freedoms, human rights violations and abuses in response to anti-government protests.” As a result, travel and trade compliance restrictions have been put in place against seven specific Venezuelan government officials because they "constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States."

On Friday, January 16, 2015 the U.S. trade and travel restrictions on Cuba came to an end. The Treasury and Commerce Departments issued a package of new trade regulations that will allow U.S. businesses to engage commercially with the island nation. These changes offer vast opportunities for U.S. businesses that are interested in the Cuban market.

We all know that visibility throughout the supply chain is vital. Whether you're manufacturing offshore or shipping goods to other countries, what are the risks and challenges to your supply chain and your business? 

Last month President Obama announced he was going to normalize relations with Cuba and on Friday, January 16, 2015 the U.S. trade and travel restrictions on Cuba will come to an end. The Treasury and Commerce Departments issued a package of new rules that will allow U.S. exports of telecommunications, agricultural and construction equipment, as well as permit travel to Cuba. This news has U.S. businesses eager to gain export opportunities in the Cuban market.

We were excited to sponsor the Massachusetts Export Center's Annual Export Expo in Boston last week! The one-day event provides a forum for exporters to connect with the wide variety of export resources available in Massachusetts while learning about issues that impact their day-to-day export operations. The Expo’s workshops addressed current issues of concern to exporters, such as recent sanctions developments, export control trends, global intellectual property protection, and more.

On September 12, the United States imposed a new round of sanctions against Russia prohibiting U.S. companies from exporting goods, services, or technology to Russian defense and energy companies. Last year, the U.S. exported over $400 million worth of oilfield equipment to Russia. Consequently, the new round of sanctions has greatly affected the oil and gas compliance industry, including suspending a $20 billion joint venture between Exxon and Rosneft, Russia’s state-controlled oil company. 

Despite attempts by the U.S. government to streamline export regulation and stoke growth of exported goods, it remains a tricky and evolving process. This year’s American Shipper report takes a deeper look at how exporters are managing their export documentation in the wake of the latest AES deadlines last year. 

This report, co-produced with BPE Global and AAEI, also examines the level of involvement export practitioners have in strategic areas like new markets and mergers and acquisitions, as well as their path to invest in technology solutions designed to make the export compliance process more efficient.

Key themes include:

• The role of compliance and operations personnel in strategic export decisions
• Organizational structures and responsibilities
• How shippers file their EEIs
• Whether investment is available to invest in export technology
• How system delivery model choices are changing