As many of you will know, over the last few months SITPRO has been under the DTI microscope once again. Periodic reviews are part of the life of any public body, and aim to confirm that the functions of the organisation are necessary and provide value for money. This year's review has again confirmed that SITPRO is seen as providing a valuable and valued service, and we welcomed Ian McCartney's comments at our annual reception.
The fact that our functions are widely regarded is one of the essential prerequisites of the review. DTI needed to be satisfied that SITPRO's stakeholders, whether at home in the UK or overseas, support the organisation and what it does. Many readers of SITPRO News responded positively to the DTI questionnaire and I should like to thank you for demonstrating your support.
Now that our future has been endorsed, we can look in earnest at how world trade and trade regulation will evolve over, say, the next five years and where SITPRO needs to position itself - for example, the increasing focus on Asia as the world's fastest growing economic powerhouse, Europe as the driver of border regulation, and the need to improve UK competitiveness through simpler trading procedures. We will shortly publish a consultation document inviting comments and contributions to help us build a five-year plan, which we will publish this autumn.
No doubt the next five years will be as challenging as in the past. I hope you will want to make the journey with us.
Return to SITPRO News: Issue 60, Spring 2007
