The latest issue of our regular TradeWatch publication is now available on our Global Trade ey.com page.

Even in the first few months of the year, it is evident that trade disruption is rising on the corporate agenda and that trade functions are becoming strategic business partners in many organizations.

The ongoing effects of geopolitical upheaval on supply chains are a key driver in increasing the strategic role of trade professionals. Disruption to global trade is not new but the amount and pace of change is new. This is leading to increased uncertainty for businesses as they try to understand the impact of the new measures and how to navigate them. Throughout this issue of TradeWatch, we explore how trade may be affected globally and how multinational businesses may adapt to respond to this new era of disruption and uncertainty.

But disruption is not the only trend that trade functions must stay abreast of — others that we feature in this issue include tax and customs reforms, customs valuation, managing customs audits and disputes, sustainability measures, and the changing role of the trade function itself.

Digital sovereignty has also become an increasingly important goal of governments around the world. In this issue, we also explore the potential impact of upcoming protectionist measures covering cross-border data transfer on international trade flows.

Keeping Up to Date with Developments in Trade

We hope you find this edition of TradeWatch informative and useful. Our goal is to reflect the key trends affecting international businesses and provide news and insights to inform your trade strategy and improve your trade operations. You can stay updated with global trade developments by subscribing to EY Tax Alerts and future editions of our TradeWatch and TradeFlash publications on ey.com/global trade. Additionally, you can subscribe to future webcasts and access replays of past webcasts via the EY webcasts page on ey.com.

If you would like more information on any of the topics covered in this issue or how they may impact your business, please reach out to the authors listed with the articles or any of the EY Global Trade professionals listed in the Contacts section of the magazine. We also welcome your feedback and suggestions for future editions.

Why TradeWatch?

In today's global economy, moving goods internationally can be a complex and costly activity. TradeWatch provides information about customs and international trade developments to help you develop strategies to manage duty costs and the risks of global trade, to improve trade compliance and to increase the operational effectiveness of international supply chains.