Search Results for: Research

The European auto sector is uneasy about the 35.3% countervailing duties that the European Union (EU) has imposed on China-built BEVs on top of the standard 10% import tariff. While they were imposed in response to what the EU executive, the European Commission, claims are unfair state subsidies throughout Chinese supply chains that undercut the bloc’s own European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) has declined to comment.…

Increasing concerns that Europe is being left behind in artificial intelligence (AI) studies and applications have promoted a call for urgent and practical action by the Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities. https://www.the-guild.eu/about/ This group of 22 universities from 16 European countries has released a detailed position paper as the new European Commission, which takes office on December 1, considers how to strengthen Europe’s AI position.…

China’s move to investigate New York City, United States-based clothing company PVH, the parent company of Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, for suspected violations of market trading principles regarding Xinjiang-related products, could pose risks for other clothing and textile companies doing business with China, according to industry experts.…

Activists within the UN-supported Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI) have been discussing plans to integrate sustainability concerns into HE courses’ accreditation, so that environmental-health concerns become an integral part of learning. https://sdgs.un.org/HESI

Debra Rowe, HESI Action Group co-chair and president, said speakers emphasised “the international trends toward this from business schools, engineering programmes, countries’ national policies, and more, and how we can help these countries move along faster in this direction.”…

Nigeria’s paint and coating industry and its key construction sector partner are at a crossroads, balancing economic pressures with regulatory demands, in a simultaneous push for growth and sustainability. Recent developments highlight the complex landscape facing manufacturers, regulators and consumers alike in Africa’s most populous country (with 230 million people). …

Compliance costs are an increasing burden on international trade, including shipping, aviation and road transport, with expanding requirements on anti-money laundering, sanctions, dual-use goods and environmental controls augmenting customs, know-your-customer, shipping identification documentation and more.

These requirements, while often based on international standards drafted by bodies such as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) (for money-laundering and terror/proliferation finance), the World Customs Organisation (WCO) and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), are usually imposed by sovereign states or autonomous customs administrations, such as Hong Kong.…

PAYMENT SCENARIOS

Looking beyond their core function of managed file transfers (MFT), the potential for eBLs in trade finance is profound. eBLs can simplify payment processes for shippers, consignees and banks. Through third party validation and integration with digital tools such as smart contracts, transactions can be executed simultaneously, upon fulfilment of stipulated conditions, bypassing escrow services.…

Brazil, the world’s fifth largest country by size, with 60% of the planet’s rainforest, is investing in research to become an important bioplastics player, using its abundant natural resources. However, legislative obstacles are hindering its progress.

And there is plenty of room for improvement.…

With its shortage of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) graduates, the United States is struggling to hire enough qualified professionals to meet the demands of many of domestic industries, the USA’s HE accreditation board ABET has noted. According to one estimate by the Washington DC-based Semiconductor Industry Association, in a report published in 2023, there will be a STEM shortage of approximately 1.4 million technicians, computer scientists and engineers in the US by 2030 (https://www.semiconductors.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/SIA_July2023_ChippingAway_website.pdf…

Niger’s military government is insisting it has maintained higher education services despite international sanctions imposed on the west African country since the coup d’état of last July (2023). This has ruptured relations with western and some neighbouring countries, prompting concerns that Nigerien students might struggle to continue their studies abroad.…