icc-albania

9 December 2020 In a memo to World Trade Organization Members, ICC has called on negotiators to accelerate progress and conclude a high standard agreement by the next WTO Ministerial Conference. There are now 86 World Trade Organization (WTO) Members negotiating the JSI, representing well over 90% of world trade. Citing the indispensable role of the digital economy during COVID-19, the memo says: “As communities have socially distanced to flatten the curve, contactless payments have enabled safe, COVID-free transactions; brick-and-mortar retailers have rapidly moved to sell their wares online, powered by a vibrant ecosystem of software as a service providers; citizens

8 December 2020 ICC’s Ibero-American national committees in 13 countries have joined forces to mark International Anti-Corruption Day, underscoring the importance of the anti-corruption agenda as a key means of promoting social inclusion and economic growth in the region in the context of the current pandemic. Celebrated on 9 December each year, Anti-Corruption Day aims to raise awareness of corruption and of the role of the 2005 United Nations Convention Against Corruption in combating and preventing it. ICC national committees of the ICC in Latin America acknowledge the role the current pandemic has played in exacerbating the risks of corruption, bribery, fraud, illegal

8 December 2020 ICC and Oxford University’s Saïd Business School will join forces to develop a set of all-encompassing artificial intelligence (AI) principles to enable business to implement innovative, trustworthy, and human-centric AI solutions as part of their operations. Over the years, policy and regulatory discussions concerning AI have focused on sector-specific or issue-specific issues without considering wider ethical, societal, or business implications. As part of this partnership, researchers from ICC’s Knowledge Solutions department and Saïd Business School will undergo an extensive review of existing AI principles to identify commonalities and differences between standards. ICC and Saïd Business School will gather

3 December 2020 The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Global Export Finance Committee’s Sustainability Working Group (ICC-SWG) has commissioned International Financial Consulting Ltd. and Acre Impact Capital to develop a white paper, to be published in June 2021. The paper will review the state of sustainable finance across the export finance industry and propose both product and policy recommendations aimed at increasing the flow of export financing towards sustainable activity. Sustainability is an increasingly important topic for a wide range of public and private stakeholders globally, both in the developed and emerging markets. This seminal project, convened by the ICC Global

1 December 2020 The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) publishes its submission to the European Commission’s Consultation on Trade Policy Review. Launched in June 2020, the European Commission’s Consultation on Trade Policy Review is an all-encompassing examination of the European Union’s (EU) trade policy settings. The consultation’s objective is to build consensus around EU Trade policy, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and other trade-related challenges. The Commission has sought public consultation from the European Parliament, Member States, stakeholders, and civil society. As the largest trading bloc in the world, the EU’s trade policy creates rules and standards that

26 November 2020 The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) welcomes Delta Airlines and Alitalia’s announcement of quarantine-free flights from Atlanta and New York to Rome. In close coordination with Italian and American officials, Delta Airlines and Alitalia will begin operating quarantine-free flights between Aeroporti di Roma and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Beginning mid- December, Delta-Alitalia passengers travelling between Atlanta and Rome will be required to take a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test 72 hours before departure, and then one rapid test in Atlanta and another in Rome. Responding to the announcement, John W.H. Denton AO said: “We applaud Delta and Alitalia’s decision

24 November 2020 The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) provided an update on the electronic ATA Carnet (eATA) pilot project as part of the World Customs Organization’s annual ATA/Istanbul Administrative council meeting. The virtual meeting – which gathered customs experts from around the world – discussed ICC’s eATA Carnet pilot project, the impact of COVID-19 on ATA Carnet operations, as well as interpretation issues related to ATA Carnet claims. The ATA Carnet is an international customs document that permits duty-free and tax-free temporary import of goods for up to one year. ICC is the international organisation administering the global guarantee chain that

23 November 2020 ICC AOKpass, a risk mitigation tool, is a scalable solution that enables governments and border authorities to reopen cross border travel safely and efficiently. ICC AOKpass allows users to present digitally authenticated, secure and portable copies of medical records to government authorities, border agencies and employers, without compromising their personal data. Supported by International SOS and SGS Group, the ICC AOKpass digital application utilises secure blockchain technology to validate and verify the authenticity of digital passes without requiring users to disclose personal medical information. After a round of successful ICCAOK pass pilots, ICC is working with national governments,

18 November 2020 The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) virtually joined stakeholders at the annual Internet Governance Forum (IGF) to share in policy conversations concerning the future of Internet governance. During the first-ever virtual IGF, ICC convened business, government, civil society and the technical community to discuss the most pressing issues related to Internet governance through a series of workshops, high-level sessions, and roundtable discussions. Taking place under the theme of “Internet for human resilience and solidarity,” this year’s IGF developed around four thematic tracks: data, environment, inclusion, and trust. Here is how ICC contributed to this year’s Forum: Reinforcing ICC’s

17 November 2020 The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and Pearson have announced a new collaboration to create educational products and services that will equip people with the necessary skills to thrive in an ever-changing global economy. Over the past decade, digitalisation, automation and artificial intelligence have reshaped industries and created new skillset requirements for workforces everywhere. These changing conditions have only accelerated in the age of the COVID-19 pandemic, where necessary public lockdowns and workplace closures have transformed the nature of work, education, and daily life. In this context, ICC and Pearson will work together to co-create educational programmes that