The TSA: A Bloated Bureaucracy
1/30/2012 - by Michael Laden On November 16 of last year, the U.S. House of Representatives issued a Joint Majority Staff Report on the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The report is titled A Decade Later: A Call for TSA Reform. In my opinion it was a scathing commentary on TSA, and it illuminates several critical flaws that need immediate attention.
Incoterms® 2010 Rules: Revisiting the Correct Application of the Delivery Terms—Part 3
1/23/2012 - by Roberto Bergami In part 2 of this series of articles, I discussed an imaginary situation where the seller has difficulties with the buyer over FOB transactions and the use of containers. These differences are caused by the use of archaic terms that do not fit well with modern shipping practices. The conversation between the seller and their adviser revealed the anomalies and explained some of the possible corrective measures. In the last article in this series I discuss the terms CFR, CIF, CPT and CIP and container traffic.
Dealing with Conflict in International Trade
1/16/2012 - by Becky DeStigter The order came late... or never arrived... or your partner wants to constantly renegotiate... or the client is never satisfied. Conflict occasionally arises in business. But when cultures differ: (1) how do you know when you're dealing with a cultural issue rather than a business issue, and (2) how do you bridge the cultural divide in order to focus on solving the issues?
"Dear Cathy" Discusses Certificates of Origin
1/9/2012 - by Catherine J. Petersen Most of our goods come from Asia, and we do not further manufacture or assemble any of the goods. Some of our customers are in Latin America. Many of them ask us to provide them with either a NAFTA or CAFTA Certificate of Origin. Are we obligated to provide such a Certificate?
Incoterms® 2010 Rules: Revisiting the Correct Application of the Delivery Terms—Part 2
12/19/2011 - by Roberto Bergami In Part 1 of this series of articles, I discussed an imaginary situation where the seller and the buyer have differences in processing an EXW transaction. These differences were caused by the freight forwarder's preferences that mutated EXW into something closer to FCA. The seller, unaware of the added risks incurred, was following the request of the freight forwarder, but with some reservations. At the end of that conversation, the seller raised the issue of FOB and container traffic, and questioned why this may be problematic. This article picks up where the last article left off.
In Defense of Multiple Export Agencies
12/12/2011 - by Joe Robinson It has been said that the United States is the most diverse country imaginable. Our exports reflect this diversity with an astoundingly broad range of products and services. Our exports cover the scope from apples, airplanes and antibiotics to zinc, zippers and zinfandel wine. How in the world does the U.S. government deal with facilitating and regulating such a vast array of exports? This is accomplished by multiple agencies, each with a designated degree of autonomy, overlap and responsibility.
Fed Action in Europe Underscores Dollar Primacy
12/5/2011 - by David Noah It wasn't that long ago when some economists, including former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, were claiming that the days of the U.S. dollar as the primary reserve currency of the world were numbered and would be replaced with the euro. That seems much less likely now. In fact, a new Fed policy announced last week makes U.S. dollars available to European central banks to prop up their own banking sectors. STRATFOR Global Intelligence has published a very good analysis of the situation.
Incoterms® 2010 Rules: Revisiting the Correct Application of the Delivery Terms—Part 1
11/28/2011 - by Roberto Bergami This series of articles revisits the incorrect application of Incoterms® 2010 rules, based on the mode of transport and commercial practices. In Part 1, we examine the responsibilities of the parties under Ex Works.
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