Anna Jerzewska
Founder of Trade and Borders. DSV Director Global Customs. Customs rapporteur for EuroCommerce. PhD in Customs and Trade Facilitation. Brexit veteran
- Excellent read on China's rare earth industry over the past few decades. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/31/b...
- Happy New Year
- And since we're on the topic of rules of origin, RoOs will be back in 2026. Big time. We have the USMCA review, where this will be one of the key issues. /1 mexicobusiness.news/trade-and-in...
- The UK-EU EV RoO facilitation is set to expire before the end of 2026 and apparently will not be renegotiated. The UK's participation in PEM is under review. /2
- The EU conducted a review of its preferential and non-preferential RoOs. A couple of FTAs with interesting RoOs are also on the horizon. So we're likely to hear a lot about RoOs in 2026. /3
- On the UK joining PEM. Recorded some weeks ago, when the DBT call for evidence was still open. It was a good discussion.
- Should the UK join the PEM Convention on Rules of Origin, and what difference would this make to businesses? 🎧👉 soundcloud.com/uktpo-tradeb... @michaelgasiorek.bsky.social, @annajerzewska.bsky.social at @eurocommerce.bsky.social, @tradealemaro.bsky.social at @smmt-ukauto.bsky.social
- De minimis to be removed in the EU "as soon as possible next year" now confirmed. Big implications for the UK as well given the budget rumours. ec.europa.eu/commission/p...
- Finally, an update on EUDR - going ahead but with a transitional period and simplification for SMEs. Most likely, still needs to be approved. ec.europa.eu/commission/p...
- New report by the House of Lords Northern Ireland Scrutiny Committee published today. A lot of good feedback from stakeholders consistent with what I'm hearing from local businesses. committees.parliament.uk/committee/76...
- A new round of trilogue negotiations on the EU Customs Reform is set to take place in Brussels this week. It's likely to focus on less controversial aspects of the text, pushing things like the handling fee and e-commerce ot a later date. 1/2
- We're also likely to see more industry position papers and proposals this week. Especially on the deemed importer, which is a new concept related to online marketplaces and platforms taking liability for e-commerce imports. 2/2
- All other issues aside, the double standards accusation is on point.
- USTR says China 'deferred' when US reached out for phone call after export controls expansion reut.rs/48JZD6X
- By Ignacio García Bercero on the recent EU proposal for new steel safeguards. A particularly worrying part is the fact that it suggests that excluding imports from current FTA partners is not possible, which would mean a breach of these agreements. www.bruegel.org/first-glance...
- An occasional reminder to all the companies out there thinking that just cause their goods successfully passed CBP border screening, they're off the hook. Customs compliance is monitored AFTER the border. CBP has a good few years to come knocking and ask you for evidence.
- It was good to contribute to FT's story on e-commerce and the proposed national handling fees. The handling fee for all e-commerce parcels is likely to be introduced on the EU level next year. For some EU member states, it may come sooner.
- Flamingos at sunset on a Saturday evening.
- Politico on Deforestation. You could not make these things up. As a reminder, last year's delay of EUDR was officially finally confirmed on 18 Dec, giving businesses 13 whole days of legal certainty before the day the regulation was set to go live.
- Heard it in a meeting last week and have to say had the same reaction. But then again... following the EU's contract earlier this year... makes just as much sense as any other trade deal
- When we calculated the cost of implementing controls on low value shipments in the EU it was barely worth it. In the US the threshold was higher but average value still way belofw 150.
- This is also not that many pacels. It's less than what we would have per day in the EU. Still I wonder what the costs are.
- You can't tariff everything. But you sure can try. And while it's very entertaining for us trade wonks, it leads to anxiety and uncertainty for the industry. As in even more anxiety and uncertainty.
- Tariffs on foreign movies are back. This first came up back in May and raised a number of questions on cut-off points, impact on costs etc. Can't wait to read the EO. edition.cnn.com/2025/09/29/e...
- Tariffs on foreign movies are back. This first came up back in May and raised a number of questions on cut-off points, impact on costs etc. Can't wait to read the EO. edition.cnn.com/2025/09/29/e...
- While deforestation is in limbo, CBAM Omnibus simplifications seem to be confirmed. www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/pre...
- Zug
- And now we wait for EOs. As a lot of people pointed out, this is not going to stop and it will be interesting to see how all the deals hold up, whether or not there will be any exemptions and how these tariffs are applied. Never a dull moment.
- I actually think this is doing more in terms of upholding the general terms of the multilateral trading system than any attempt to fudge and pretend that this is WTO and MFN compatible. It's basically "we did what we had to do" and that's fair enough.
- It would be extremely helpful if the Commission could confirm the delay to the Deofrestation Regulation asap rather than keep companies in limbo. Talking about EU competitiveness is good. Providing a conducive business environment is better.
- An unforgettable experience seeing the highly controversial Emil Buhrle collection at the Kunsthaus in Zurich today. Apart from breathtaking works of art, there was a customs accent. When you import art purchased in occupied France, you need to remember to declare it at import.
- It was good to speak to @joeblynam.bsky.social this morning at 6.45 about changes to B2C small parcels moving into the EU. This topic is not going away. Particularly worrying part is the new handling fee, which will be non-refundable and due whether or not goods are subject to duties.
