11 December 2007
- Jon Averns (Port of London Authority) and Stuart Brady (CBI) were welcomed as new Advisory Council members. Colin Beaumont (BIFA) was retiring and being succeeded by Peter Quantrill.
- The Council reviewed the trial at Southampton Container Terminal of 100% scanning of containers bound for the US. On the wider issue of 100% scanning, the Council concluded that SITPRO should take a co-ordinating role for private sector views. The message needed to be amplified that 100% scanning was the wrong concept for border management and that risk assessment and co-operation with the supply chain were important. It was noted that SITPRO and a Dutch organisation, EVO, were in the early stages of planning a supply chain security conference in Leiden in late May. A new SITPRO report on security was expected to be published early in the new year.
- The Council were updated on the creation of the UK Border Agency, which would control both people and freight movements and report to the Home Office. Front line HMRC operations ("Detection") was moving from HMRC to the UKBA. Given that Immigration controls are 100% applied, the Council took the view that SITPRO should actively ensure that the UKBA took account of the need to facilitate trade.
- The Council took note that funding for the International Trade Single Window project would be difficult in 2008. It expressed concern that the UK risked being left behind other countries including those in Europe. There was also a concern that Defra was becoming disengaged with the trade - the Council concluded that SITPRO needed to encourage and push Defra to be more trader responsive.
- SITPRO was meeting with the Institute of Grocery Distribution to progress the roll out of its 'Hermes' report on paperless trading.
- The Council endorsed the proposal for SITPRO to bid to host a UN/CEFACT Forum in 2010, the year of SITPRO's 40th Anniversary.
- The Council began consideration of potential research projects that could be offered to UK Universities for student projects in 2008.
