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Celebrations took place in Paris this week, beginning a year of activities to mark 100 years of the International Chamber of Commerce. Centenary events are set to take place in each region of the world, concluding in Mexico in March 2020. But in case you missed the launch celebrations, here are five ICC@100 highlights from our week: 1. ICC Centenary Summit A celebratory ICC Centenary Summit took place on 28 May gathering corporate, political and civil society leaders to discuss private sector contributions to address global challenges, including world trade reform, climate change, rising inequality, digital inclusion and long-term market incentives.

Welcome remarks by ICC Secretary General John W.H. Denton AO on the occasion of the International Chamber of Commerce Centenary Summit Bonjour et bienvenue ! It is my great honour to welcome you to the ICC Centenary Summit, here in Paris, as we come together to celebrate the many years this august institution has worked to promote peace and prosperity through international trade. I have the distinct privilege, as I have said before, of being the first Australian to lead ICC. I do this in collaboration with the support and guidance of an outstanding Executive Board and Chairmanship, including our distinguished chair

The 11th World Chambers Congress taking place in Rio on 12-14 June will explore the ramifications associated with climate change and how business can implement sustainable practices across the global supply chain. In today’s world, business must accept responsibility for the societal impact of their operations. The Sustainable Development Goals [SDGs] are a common roadmap adopted by world leaders in 2015 for “people, planet and prosperity” as part of the UN’s 2030 Agenda. In particular, SDG 13, Climate Action, calls for member states to “take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts by regulating emissions and promoting developments in

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has published guidance on international best practices for Value Added Tax (VAT) implementation. As the world business organization, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) promotes international trade, responsible business conduct, and a global approach to regulation. In today’s interconnected global economy, value added tax (VAT) has become an increasingly important source of revenue for countries worldwide. With more and more countries implementing or reforming existing VAT regimes, ICC has published the ICC International Best Practices and Guidance on Value Added Tax Implementation to provide a common roadmap for tax administrations and business before, during, and

On behalf of 45 million companies worldwide, the International Chamber of Commerce has issued a declaration setting out a vision to shape the future of global business for the next century. Mirroring the declaration issued 100 years ago by ICC’s “Merchant of Peace” founders, the declaration sets out guiding principles for ICC as a purpose driven international organisation, working with renewed purpose to make business work for everyone, every day, everywhere. Issued upon conclusion of the world business organization’s Centenary Summit in Paris today, the declaration endorses Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change findings on the urgent need to keep the global

The International Chamber of Commerce World Chambers Federation (WCF) is pleased to announce the publication of revised Certificate of Origin (CO) guidelines. Today, ICC WCF has launched a revised version of its International CO guidelines, which aims to provide chambers of commerce and exporters with updates on new processes, including digitalisation of the CO process. Since 1953, ICC has consistently advocated for a common definition to determine the origin of manufactured goods to improve trade efficiency, protect intellectual property, and ensure product safety. ICC WCF’s efforts to establish an international standard on certificates of origin came to fruition in 2006 with

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) participated at the 2019 Copenhagen Fashion Summit on 15-16 May to encourage fashion brands to implement sustainable and equitable business practices. As a Permanent Observer to the United Nations, ICC is committed to ensuring that business consumption and production patterns align with the UN Sustainability and Development Goals (SDGs) set forth by the UN 2030 Charter. In December 2018, ICC became a signatory of the UN Climate Change (UNFCCC) Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action, which aims to address the climate impact of the fashion sector’s global supply chain. By recognising this need for change, ICC joined global

On 20 May 2019, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Brand Protection Group Brazil (BPG) to bolster cooperation in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy in Brazil. Signed on behalf of ICC’s Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy initiative (BASCAP), the MoU serves as a guiding framework for cooperation between both parties to develop and implement programmes that will strengthen enforcement of anti-counterfeit laws and measures and raise public awareness of the related harmful impact. The objective of the MOU is to foster increased collaboration in the fight against counterfeiters that will benefit Brazil’s consumers

International Chamber of Commerce Secretary General John W.H. Denton AO has issued a letter to Environment Ministers of all United Nations’ Member States calling for bold, forward-looking recommendations from its third and final substantive session to be brought to the United Nations’ General Assembly in New York. The ad hoc, open-ended working group, was formed under the General Assembly Resolution ‘Towards a Global Pact for the Environment’ for deliberations on a technical and evidence-based report identifying and assessing possible gaps in international environmental law and environment-related instruments, with a view to strengthening their implementation. The final session begins on 20 May

The International Chamber of Commerce [ICC] has published a policy paper on co-operative compliance and issued recommendations on Accredited Tax Payers (ATPs) to improve trust and create confidence in tax systems. ICC supports measures aimed at increasing tax certainty to create a more favourable environment for trade and investment.  As such, ICC is committed to fostering trust and efficient co-operation between governments and business to improve tax administrative efficiency and enhance certainty for investment. The benefits of Cooperative Compliance As part of this commitment, ICC has issued a policy paper on the benefits of co-operative compliance, a concept that builds on