Unfortunately, these uncertainties tend to hit small businesses the hardest. Small businesses might have thinner margins and fewer buffers in their balance sheets. They may serve customers who are finding it increasingly difficult to afford goods. Is there some practical way smaller businesses can increase their resiliency to tariff expenses, including through diversification?  

“Small business owners must plan how to respond to these new realities and the economic uncertainty ahead,” noted Rohit Arora for Forbes.

But what can that response look like for smaller businesses with less macroeconomic wiggle room?  

The real cost of tariff volatility for businesses 

Imagine a small business operating with a 10% profit margin on a product that relies heavily on international trade. A tariff increase of 20-40% on the raw materials needed to produce that product can immediately erode the margins. Small firms, dependent on long-term contracts to reduce margins, don’t always have the leverage they need to renegotiate contracts.  

If trade tensions spike, small business tariffs can have devastating impacts. 

But costs alone aren’t the only risk with tariffs. The broader tariff impacts can complicate all sorts of plans. It may be increasingly difficult to document imports and exports. Businesses may need to make new logistical decisions in response to changing costs. And if a small business has to find a new source for its products, it could upend an entire business model. 

Even if businesses can weather these storms, they can lose what created their market share in the first place.

Price competitiveness can go down. And companies may hesitate to expand to new markets because they’re uncertain about which tariffs will spike next. As the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) notes, “pursuing export opportunities in the EU often requires companies to navigate stringent regulations.” If you can handle these regulations, options like exporting to Europe can broaden your ability to diversify. You can think of it as “exporting risk.” 

How can small businesses handle these challenges? There are multiple items to consider that will help you build a sharper tariff strategy. 

Tariff strategy #1: Map and stress-test your supply chain 

The best thing any small business can do is understand its current supply chain. Build a map. Where are the current suppliers? What are their countries of origin? What are their shipping routes? Are there any tariff-sensitive inputs that go into making your products? These are critical questions to answer because many companies don’t realize just how many key components may originate in tariff-targeted countries. 

Next, a small business should run some stress tests.

“What happens if tariffs rise 10%? 50%?” “What if a supplier country becomes politically unstable?”

This will help you identify single-source dependencies and components without any alternative suppliers, which highlights the key risks you need to hedge against.

Tariff strategy #2: Reduce single-country dependence by looking for multi-region supplier diversification 

Now that you’ve identified the risks, diversification is the best way out. If you can source across several low-risk regions to reduce tariff exposure, you’ve already made a lot of headway. 

For example, Chile offers a highly open and stable trade regime, with low, predictable tariffs (around 6% MFN) and over 30 FTAs covering more than 65 economies, making it a strong partner to support a more diversified and resilient supply chain. 

This may require some macroeconomic and geopolitical analysis.

Look at current trade relationships and evaluate tariff history across regions with relatively stable policy environments.

For example, the EU and Chile, ASEAN and China, or the EU and Vietnam. Reviewing how these trade corridors have evolved over time can help you spot patterns in tariff exposure, policy consistency, and regional risk before making sourcing decisions. 

Tariff strategy #3: Diversify beyond suppliers by looking at multiple markets 

Diverse suppliers can help you remain resilient as a business. But what about zooming out? You may need to diversify markets if you’re going to remain tariff-proof. Multiple markets will offset your risk thanks to basic diversification: if tariffs rise with one market, your revenue can still remain stable overall. 

Expanding into additional regions, like Europe or Canada, can help spread your risk around. BDC highlights that exporting to Europe offers stable demand, for example. The downside is a heavy regulatory environment. But if you treat options like these as a part of a broader tariff strategy, you’ll realize that it’s possible to establish footholds in new markets that expand your ability to weather risk. 

Tariff strategy #4: Look for leverageable trade agreements and preferential tariff programs 

So far, the strategies mentioned have been defensive. But there are more assertive strategies for building a diversified portfolio of suppliers. 

To begin, look for any relevant free trade agreements, or unilateral preference programs, that are in place in your industry.

Are there any that reduce costs immediately? Are there unique exceptions for some products that will keep your business with a sustainable profit margin? 

You can also shift your sourcing or assembly operations to countries with more favorable agreements. Maybe the answers to the questions above aren’t favorable now. However, if you can develop a small business strategy that spans multiple countries, you may potentially benefit from lower tariffs on products assembled in specific regions.  

Tariff strategy #5: Create a real-time tariff monitoring system 

You may look at these strategies and wonder how sustainable they are if tariff conditions shift unexpectedly. It’s a valid concern. The truth is no one has a crystal ball for future tariff policy. However, you can build an advanced warning system by designating a person or a team to track tariff announcements and political developments. They may even be able to look at trade negotiations to see where specific industries may be headed. 

Look at government trade portals, international trade news, or even consider hiring consultants.

The key is to build a list of trusted sources for forecasting trade developments. You may not expect 100% accuracy, but you should look for a reliable set of sources that can decrease your risks because you feel increasingly “in the loop” for tariff changes. 

Tariff strategy #6: Price and plan for the most uncertain tariff environment 

Ever hear the phrase “hope for the best, prepare for the worst?” This is a variant of that. You may consider introducing tiered pricing strategies, or terms that allow mid-contract tariff adjustments. Customers don’t always like these, so make sure that your tariff pricing policies are clear and well-articulated at every point. 

Assess different tiers of risk and develop a strategy for each one. What happens if tariffs increase by 10%? How will you respond? And how will that response differ if your tariffs increase by 50%?  

Tariff strategy #7: Increase your operational flexibility 

The more flexible your operations are, the more quickly you can pivot if there’s a sudden tariff shift. One great starting point: modular production processes. If you can design products so components can be swapped with equivalents from different suppliers, you’ll avoid getting “locked” into any specific solution.  

Flexibility is just as important from a logistics perspective.

Can you use multiple distribution hubs (ports, warehouses, fulfillment centers) to weather a geopolitical storm?

This kind of strategy isn’t just important for tariff flexibility, but total flexibility in the face of geopolitical risks. 

Reframing tariff risks as a strategic advantage 

Tariff risks will always be there. So will the uncertainty of geopolitical risks. Global trade is shifting, and regulations are increasing. But if you can find a way to map your supply chains, diversify across both suppliers and markets, and build more flexible operational systems, you’ll shift these risks into a potential advantage. Your ability to pivot quickly could keep your prices stable in the face of future geopolitical storms, which isn’t true for every small business. 

Small businesses can’t control policy. But they can control how prepared they are for volatile policies. Build a diversification strategy that gives you some peace of mind that no matter what the next headline in international trade may read, you’re ready for it. 

The post How to build tariff resiliency into your diversification strategy appeared first on Trade Ready.

The session, “Leadership in Action: Advisors at Work,” brought together perspectives from government, consulting, finance, and trade education to answer a central question:

How can businesses, and the trade professionals who support them, move forward with confidence in a volatile world?

Moderated by Lora Rigutto, CITP, Partnerships & Community Lead at FITT, the panel featured:

• Margaux McDonald, Canadian Consul and Senior Trade Commissioner in Chicago (Global Affairs Canada)
• Zeeshanali Fazal, CITP, Regional Director at Export Development Canada (EDC)
• Dr. Rahim Mohtaram, CITP, Founder of MCSWAY Commercial and Educational Services
• Pernille Fischer Boulter, CITP, CEO of Kisserup International Trade Roots Inc.
• Dr. Leroy Lowe, CITP, Senior Consultant – Trade Education at FITT

Together, they unpacked emerging trends in exporter mindsets, market diversification strategies, and the evolving role of trade professionals in an AI-driven world.

A new export mindset: From growth to resilience

The past year has been marked by political volatility, tariff concerns, and supply chain disruptions. According to the panelists, the biggest change has been in how exporters think about international expansion.

Zeeshanali Fazal, CITP, has seen this shift firsthand through his work with Canadian exporters at EDC.

“Instead of going growth first, they’re going to resilience first,” he explained. “Companies have had the opportunity to experience what risk can look like, even when we thought there was no risk.”

Rather than focusing solely on revenue growth targets, companies are now prioritizing strategies that help them manage uncertainty and survive disruption.

Fazal noted that exporters are increasingly asking practical questions:

• What happens if tariffs suddenly return?
• How exposed are we to geopolitical risk?
• Are our payments and financing structures secure?

This shift has led many businesses to make greater use of trade finance tools such as guarantees, insurance, and structured financing to mitigate risk.

At the same time, companies are thinking more strategically about diversification.

“We’ve talked about diversification for years,” Fazal said. “But now it’s more practical. People are moving to action.”

Canada–U.S. trade: Stable despite the headlines

Much of the uncertainty surrounding Canadian trade in the past year has centered on the United States. Yet Margaux McDonald, who leads Canada’s trade team in Chicago, offered a perspective from the ground that may surprise some observers.

According to McDonald, the reality for many companies has been more stable than expected.

“A year ago, everyone was bracing for what felt like a giant storm,” she said. “But for the vast majority of Canadian companies, that storm never fully landed.”

In fact, some Canadian exporters have quietly benefited from shifting trade dynamics.

“When I walk trade show floors and ask companies about the impact of tariffs, sometimes their voice lowers and they say, ‘Don’t tell anyone, but this has been really good for us.’”

This paradox highlights how complex global trade dynamics can be. In some cases, tariffs affecting U.S. competitors have created unexpected advantages for Canadian firms.

Still, McDonald emphasized that exporter attitudes are evolving in important ways. She highlighted three major shifts she has observed among Canadian companies.

1. A stronger demand for clarity

Companies want practical guidance on trade agreements, regulations, and incentives.

“There’s been an awakening to the complexity of trade, and how to navigate it effectively. And that’s where this cohort, this community of CITPs, can be so helpful.”

2. More targeted expansion strategies

Instead of pursuing broad market entry, exporters are focusing on regions where they can win.

“There used to be a spaghetti-against-the-wall approach. Now companies are asking: where can we actually succeed?”

3.  Greater focus on trusted partnerships

Canadian firms are increasingly prioritizing long-term, values-aligned business relationships.

Diversification: Supplement, not replace

While diversification beyond the U.S. is gaining momentum, panelists stressed that the strategy should be approached carefully.

Pernille Fischer Boulter, CITP, whose consulting firm works globally with exporters and development agencies, cautioned against treating diversification as an all-or-nothing decision.

“We’re not telling companies to pull out of the U.S. We’re telling them to supplement.”

Canada has access to a wide network of international trade agreements covering dozens of countries. Expanding into new markets, however, takes time, resources, and careful planning.

Fischer Boulter sees companies increasingly looking for low-hanging fruit, markets where they already have some traction or early success.

“If they have a little bit of success in a market like Poland, suddenly they say, ‘Wow, I can do this.’”

Diversification often starts with small wins rather than dramatic strategic shifts.

Strategic supply chains and new trade partners

Dr. Rahim Mohtaram, CITP, highlighted another emerging trend, strategic supply chain realignment.

As companies reconsider their reliance on specific markets, many are exploring partnerships with what he called “middle powers” in global trade.

“Some companies are thinking about working more with China, the European Union, Australia, Japan, Southeast Asia, and even smaller countries,” he said.

However, Mohtaram stressed that diversification does not mean abandoning the United States.

“The U.S. has been the main partner of Canada for export and import, and it will remain the main partner,” he said. “But companies want more options and more alternatives.”

The SMEs facing the biggest challenges

While larger exporters may have the resources to explore new markets, smaller companies often face tougher choices.

Dr. Leroy Lowe, CITP, who works closely with SMEs through training and consulting, has seen firsthand how regulatory uncertainty can disrupt small exporters.

For many small businesses, the unpredictability of tariffs, brokerage fees, and shipping costs has made pricing difficult.

“Some companies are finding their shipments are ending up in customers’ hands at very unpredictable pricing,” he explained. “And that can break partnerships.”

Without the resources to expand globally, many SMEs are taking a different approach.

“One workable short-term solution is simply looking at other places in Canada they haven’t been,” Lowe said.

Expanding into new provinces can help companies grow while building the experience needed to pursue international markets later.

Overcoming exporter hesitation

One challenge that trade advisors consistently encounter is exporter hesitation. Faced with uncertainty, many companies adopt a “wait and see” strategy. The panel agreed that waiting too long can mean missed opportunities.

McDonald described how the Trade Commissioner Service helps companies move past uncertainty.

“We never want to convince anyone to do anything,” she explained. “But we can provide context, grounded analysis, and most importantly, connections.”

Helping companies distinguish between political noise and real market changes is an important part of that process.

“There’s a lot of hyperbole and dramatic headlines right now,” she said. “Part of our job is helping companies understand what’s actually changing, and what might just be theater.”

Fazal agreed that hesitation often stems from lack of awareness.

“When I ask companies what they know about new markets, they often say, ‘We don’t know anything, and we don’t even know where to find the information.’”

For trade professionals, bridging that knowledge gap is a critical role.

Choosing the right markets

When companies do decide to diversify, choosing the right market becomes the next challenge. Fazal described a framework he calls risk triangulation.

This approach evaluates three key elements together:

• Country risk
• Buyer risk
• Transaction structure and financing

“It’s not just about selling. It’s about where you sell, who your buyer is, and whether you’ll actually be paid.”

Lowe added that technology is increasingly helping consultants guide these decisions. He frequently uses AI tools to analyze market characteristics and identify potential opportunities.

“You can ask: what would be the ideal attributes of a market for this company?” he explained. “Then you score potential markets and narrow the list before doing deeper research.”

AI and the future of trade advisory

The conversation eventually turned to a topic dominating many industries, artificial intelligence. Rather than replacing trade professionals, panelists agreed that AI is enhancing their capabilities.

Lowe described AI as a tool that allows advisors to move faster.

“You can gather a lot of information quickly,” he said. “But you still need expertise to evaluate the quality of that information.”

Fazal emphasized the distinction between data and judgment.

“AI handles information,” he said. “But we as CITPs interpret the risk, the context, and the strategy.”

Pernille Fischer Boulter highlighted another advantage trade professionals bring: networks.

“Our networks tie people together in ways AI can’t replicate.”

Mohtaram offered a broader perspective.

“Automation and systems improve businesses, but they also increase the need for people with higher levels of skills.”

The human advantage in global trade

As the panel concluded, one message stood out clearly.

The role of trade professionals is evolving, but it is not disappearing. In a world of geopolitical shifts, complex regulations, and rapidly expanding information, the ability to interpret, connect, and guide strategy is becoming more valuable than ever.

For CITPs and other trade advisors, the future is not about competing with technology. It is about combining data, experience, and human insight to help companies navigate an increasingly complex global economy.

The post How can businesses, and the trade professionals who support them, move forward with confidence in a volatile world? appeared first on Trade Ready.

With geopolitical tensions reshaping supply chains, unilateral tariffs disrupting established trade agreements, and regulatory complexity increasing across regions, global business decisions carry more weight and risk than ever before.

According to the World Trade Organization, global merchandise trade volumes are projected to grow in 2026, but at a slower and more volatile pace than in previous decades, driven by geopolitical fragmentation and policy uncertainty. In other words: opportunity is there, but so is risk.

Against this backdrop, the most successful organizations are not asking whether they should grow internationally. They’re asking smarter questions about how.

1. What are some of the most important steps to take before venturing into a new market?

One of the most common mistakes in global expansion is reacting to opportunity before assessing readiness.

Before venturing into a new market, organizations should conduct a situational analysis, including assessing organizational readiness and planning and analyzing the results of international market research. This is not simply a planning exercise, it is a risk filter.

As the guide explains, “Before an organization embarks on a new initiative in international trade, it is important to assess the organization’s current conditions, attitudes, and resources”. This assessment helps determine whether the initiative is feasible and whether the potential gains justify the exposure.

Companies that skip this step often become reactive exporters, responding to inquiries without clear strategy or trade expertise. In today’s environment, readiness is a competitive advantage.

2. What international market research do you need to do before expanding into a new market?

International expansion demands structured research, not guesswork.

The guide outlines a seven-stage approach to international market research, beginning with defining the research objectives and progressing through stages such as screening potential markets, selecting the research design and data sources, and ultimately presenting conclusions to then apply the research. Each stage reinforces disciplined decision-making.

Beyond methodology, macroeconomic indicators play a critical role. The guide highlights key data points including Gross Domestic Product (GDP), GDP per capita, Household Disposable Income, market size, unemployment rate, population, and inflation rate. These metrics help businesses evaluate market suitability and purchasing power before committing resources.

In other words, expansion decisions should be evidence-based—not optimism-based.

3. How do tariffs introduced unilaterally by the U.S. government affect trade between Canada, the United States, and Mexico, even with CUSMA in force?

North America illustrates how quickly trade conditions can shift.

While CUSMA is designed to facilitate trade, recent unilateral tariff actions by the U.S. government (2025) have disrupted this predictability. Businesses that once relied on stable, tariff-free access have faced sudden cost increases and regulatory uncertainty.

As a result, companies must assume volatility. The guide notes that businesses must assume the possibility of future, unexpected tariffs and plan accordingly. Practical strategies include diversifying supply chains, strengthening trade expertise and maintaining contingency plans.

The broader lesson extends beyond North America: formal agreements do not eliminate political risk. Professionals must remain agile and informed.

4. What integrative export and FDI approaches can businesses employ when expanding into Asia?

International growth is not limited to exporting finished goods.

Organizations can expand through export, international transfer, international partnering, or through FDI. Within these pathways are multiple approaches: indirect export, direct export, licensing, franchising, strategic alliances, representative offices, greenfield investments and mergers and acquisitions.

Each model carries different levels of investment, control and exposure. For example, the guide explains that Greenfield/Brownfield investing is the riskiest and most expensive market expansion option. Conversely, indirect export may limit risk but also reduce market visibility and control.

Selecting the right strategy requires alignment between organizational capacity and long-term objectives. There is no universal blueprint, only informed decision-making.

5. When a company expands into a new market, how important are cross-cultural considerations?

Market entry is not only about economics and logistics. Cultural alignment can determine success or failure.

The guide emphasizes that understanding and adapting to cross-cultural differences is critical for success. Communication styles, consumer behaviour, marketing imagery and negotiation practices can differ significantly between markets. Ignoring these nuances risks damaging relationships before they begin.

Cultural intelligence reduces friction, accelerates trust-building and strengthens long-term positioning.

6. How are tariffs determined on products that are being exported?

Amid strategic discussions, technical fundamentals remain essential.

A tariff is the rate that is used to determine the amount of duty that will need to be paid to the government of the importing country when goods are shipped internationally. Tariffs are determined using the Harmonized System (HS) of nomenclature, an internationally standardized coding system. Many governments have online tools for importers and exporters to determine and obtain a HS code for their materials and products.

Accurate classification directly affects cost, compliance and clearance timelines. Errors can lead to delays, penalties or reputational damage. For international professionals, understanding these mechanisms is not optional, it is operational risk management.

A more disciplined approach to global growth

Across regions, from the United States to China, the Middle East and the Caribbean, the opportunities are real. So are the risks. Regulatory unpredictability, infrastructure differences and currency considerations all influence outcomes.

As the guide concludes, a well-informed and adaptable approach is central to long-term success.

For professionals navigating global markets today, the essential questions are not simply “Where can we grow?” but:

• Are we prepared internally?
• Do the macroeconomic fundamentals support entry?
• What risks exist within the regulatory and political landscape?
• Which market entry model aligns with our capabilities?
• Do we understand the cultural and compliance dimensions well enough to execute effectively?

Exploring these questions in greater depth, along with region-specific insights and practitioner perspectives, can help organizations move from reactive expansion to structured global strategy.

For readers interested in examining these issues further, the Essential International Trade Questions Answered guide offers additional context and practical insight drawn from experienced international trade professionals.

The post 6 Essential questions every international business professional should be asking before they go global appeared first on Trade Ready.

In this article, we illustrate where companies often go wrong, and how proper management of your trade documents can help you avoid similar mistakes.

What are the common customs compliance errors that lead to a violation?

Whether errors are intentional or not, they tend to fall into the following  5 categories of customs violations:

• Incorrect classification: Assigning the wrong HS code or description to goods to pay lower duty rates.
• Undervaluation: Intentionally or unintentionally declaring a value lower than the actual price paid, or failing to declare “assists” (like raw materials provided for free).
• Sanctions violations: Shipping goods to restricted countries or denied parties, direct or through a middleman.
• Inaccurate documentation: Discrepancies between commercial invoices and customs declarations, missing certificates of origin, or incorrect international trade documents.
• Tariff engineering: Modifying a product temporarily (like adding seats) specifically to bypass duties, without a

Ultimately, avoiding customs penalties comes down to transparency and management across your documentation efforts. However, as we’ll see, this is easier said than done.

5 examples of multi-million dollar fines for customs violations

The high stakes of global trade compliance come into focus when we look at real-world cases. From technical misclassifications and missing certificates and approvals, to strategic tariff engineering, the following five cases highlight just how vigilant customs authorities are:

2. Ford Motor Company — US: In one of the largest customs penalties in recent history, Ford agreed to pay $365 million to settle allegations that it misclassified its “Transit Connect” cargo vans. The vans were imported from Turkey with temporary rear seats to classify them as “passenger vehicles” (subject to a 2.5% duty). After importation, the seats were immediately removed to sell them as cargo vans.
3. Satisloh — US: A fine of $3,320,425 was collected by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for entry violations. It was to resolve alleged customs entry violations under 19 U.S.C. §1592, which refers to false or misleading customs entries, such as incorrect descriptions or classifications. Even if not fraudulent, incorrect entries can trigger very large §1592 penalties; so strong invoice and declaration controls and post-entry reviews matter.
4. Access USA Shipping, LLC — US: The company faced making a $27 million settlement for export-control evasion charges. It covered numerous charges including evasion and unlicensed exports. It highlights how package-forwarding, consolidation, and re-export activity carry heavy risk for EAR violations and “evasion” allegations.
5. Samsung — India: The Indian branch of Samsung faced a large tax demand for dodging import duties, totalling $601 million in back taxes covering tariff evasion on imports of telecom equipment. It shows how local structuring or valuation that reduces duties can provoke very large retrospective assessments.
6. Roseline Logistics — United Kingdom: UK tribunal cases and First-tier Tribunal decisions highlight that customs service providers or declarants can be held jointly and severally liable for import VAT and customs debts and that HMRC post-clearance C18 demands have been upheld in significant sums (examples show demands exceeding £1m in aggregate).

Collectively, these cases are a reminder that organizations must prioritize accurate classification, valuation, and end-user screening before goods ever cross a border.

Smaller companies commonly get hit with fines too

While the billion-dollar fines against multinational giants make the front page, small and mid-sized businesses are arguably the most frequent targets of customs enforcement, often due to getting items such as a certificate of origin wrong. Consider the following examples:

• Alexis: A popular womenswear brand paid $7.6 million to settle False Claims Act allegations that it failed to declare the value of “assists”. These were things like fabric, beads, and trim that were provided free of charge to their foreign manufacturers. The company attempted to reduce its unit costs to sidestep customs charges, but it triggered a multi-million dollar audit.
• Córdoba Music Group: Falling foul of a “Distributor Loophole” myth, this guitar and ukulele manufacturer paid over $41,000 for shipping its instruments to a distributor in the UAE. The problem? The company knew the goods were ultimately destined for retailers in Iran. In this instance, the company tried to insulate itself from sanctions by using a middleman, but companies that know their goods will end up in a sanctioned country are still liable for a violation.
• Precision Cable Assemblies: This mid-sized manufacturer agreed to a $10 million settlement for an alleged scheme where their Chinese suppliers provided two sets of invoices. No surprise here, one had a lower-value, essentially a fake invoice for US Customs (to lower taxes) and a higher-value real invoice for payment.

It didn’t work – after all, customs are on to the oldest trick in the book – and this is the easiest form of fraud for auditors to detect.

This shows how trying to skirt customs rules just won’t work, and that skipping intensive due diligence is unwise.

How your business can avoid paying customs penalties

The most effective way to avoid penalties is to treat your documentation as your primary line of defence. In international trade, accurate records facilitate shipping and serve as the legal evidence of your compliance.

This content is an excerpt reproduced from the FITTskills Global Value Chain course. 

Document management is a supporting function of global value chains and helps avoid customs charges. Your documents are evidence and proof of your organizations’ business activities from when they are formed to when they close their doors, and sometimes beyond.

An organization’s ownership, decisions, transactions, personnel, finances, taxes, and compliance to regulations are all documented, filed and stored.

In international trade, documents are critically important as proof of compliance and due diligence.

Exporters and importers need to ensure the laws and regulatory requirements of two or more countries are met and that the increased exposure to risk (e.g. financial, political, logistical risk) resulting from complexities of international trade transactions is mitigated.

Certificates and approvals

Besides commercial and transport documents, exporters must organize certificates, documents and approvals that will satisfy foreign customs as to the value, country of origin, weight, quality, and safety of the goods being shipped and demonstrate approval to trade controlled goods.

These certificates and approvals required by customs are dependent on the type of goods being shipped (e.g. food, plant material, electrical tools, used clothing), and the regulations of the country accepting the goods.

It is important to ensure that all the certificates and approvals are in place prior to reaching the border to prevent delays or extra costs, e.g. storage.

Provision of such documents should be specified as one of the terms of a sales agreement/contract. Importers need to ensure they inform exporters of the importing requirements so that goods can meet the standards and proper certificates can be obtained.

The certificates and approvals include:

• Certificates of origin
• Importer/exporter licences and permits
• Packing declarations
• Consular invoices
• Certificates of quality and safety
• Importer/exporter declaration

Learn everything you need to manage your supply chain including customs compliance, inventory management, procurement, and international distribution. Explore the Global Value Chain online course. 

Actionable steps to expand your compliance toolkit

Robust documentation is the foundation of compliance, but external expertise and specialized tools can help mitigate risks.

Consulting a licensed customs broker or freight forwarder is a good start. These professionals are authorized by customs authorities to manage the classification, valuation, and entry process on your behalf – and can make sure your commercial invoices and declarations are fully compliant. On an ongoing basis, you could also consider:

• Using classification resources: Consider both the World Customs Organization (WCO) provides the global Harmonized System (HS) framework.
• Binding rulings: Where uncertainty prevails, consider applying for Binding Rulings from customs authorities, which provide a legally binding determination of the correct HS code for a specific product.
• Implement global trade management software: GTM software centralizes trade data and automatically screens your customers and partners. It reduces manual error in sanctions compliance and ensures all required documentation is generated correctly for each shipment.

Do not assume compliance ends at the border.

Regularly audit a sample of your import and export entries to proactively catch internal errors in classification or valuation before an official audit by customs or a retrospective tax assessment is issued.

Finally, consider consulting with a trade attorney for high-stakes or complex legal issues like tariff engineering, sanctions evasion concerns, valuation disputes (e.g., correctly declaring “assists”), or setting up your internal compliance program.

The bottom line: documentation is your best defence

Our examples demonstrate that customs authorities are vigilant and that the costs of non-compliance are high, regardless of your company’s size.

Certainly, don’t attempt to circumvent customs rules. The authorities have seen it all, and they’ll likely catch any attempts to go around cross-border trade rules.

Pleading ignorance of misunderstood rules or a lack of due diligence won’t work either. Ultimately, a strong compliance strategy relies on strong internal organization and documentation.

By treating your commercial invoices, proofs of origin, and safety approvals as critical business assets rather than just paperwork, you significantly reduce the risk of audits.

The post 5 customs violations that lead to costly penalties – and how to avoid them appeared first on Trade Ready.

Add in shifting geopolitics, rising demand from emerging markets, and the need for stronger, more secure supply chains, and it’s clear that agility and foresight are more important than ever.

In our annual look ahead, we break down the top 10 global trade trends we’ll be watching, reacting to, and writing about in 2026.

Read on for our 10 2026 trends.

Curious about our past predictions? Check out what we thought 2017-2025 had in store.

1. Global trade hits record high in 2025 but faces slower growth in 2026

Global trade reached a record US$35 trillion in 2025, demonstrating strong resilience despite rising geopolitical tensions, higher costs, and increasing trade barriers. According to UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), trade expanded by about 7% year over year, driven by higher volumes in both goods and services, with particularly strong contributions from East Asia, Africa, and South–South trade.

However, UNCTAD warns that momentum is slowing and expects weaker trade growth in 2026 as economic uncertainty, higher trade costs, and fragmentation weigh on global flows.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) echoes this outlook. Global merchandise trade grew faster than expected in early 2025 as firms front-loaded imports ahead of anticipated tariff increases and demand for AI-related products surged, especially in Asia and North America.

As a result, the WTO revised its 2025 merchandise trade growth forecast upward to 2.4%, while sharply lowering its 2026 forecast to just 0.5%, reflecting a cooling global economy and the full-year impact of higher tariffs.

Trade in commercial services remains more resilient but is also slowing. The WTO expects services export growth to ease from 6.8% in 2024 to 4.6% in 2025, and 4.4% in 2026, as weaker goods trade and slower output growth spill over into services.

Together, the UNCTAD and WTO assessments point to a global trade environment that is structurally strong but increasingly constrained, supported in the short term by technology investment and resilient demand, yet facing slower growth ahead as protectionism, economic cooling, and fragmentation reshape global trade dynamics.

2. Sustainable & carbon-sensitive trade

Sustainable policies (Electricity Demand & AI)

As electrification and digitalization accelerate, trade policies are increasingly aligning with climate and energy goals to support clean energy infrastructure and carbon-sensitive trade.

Global power demand is surging—driven in part by data centers and AI workloads—forcing energy systems to evolve and integrate more renewables.

Policies are beginning to incentivize renewable electricity generation, grid modernization, and clean technology exports to manage this growth sustainably while maintaining climate objectives.

Trade in renewable energy technologies (e.g., solar, wind, electrolyzers) is expanding rapidly, reshaping energy markets from fossil-fuel dominance toward clean trade flows that include grid equipment and storage systems. Export of these technologies supports carbon-sensitive value chains and opens new trading corridors as countries compete to lead in clean tech deployment. News Release Archive

At the policy level, many countries are implementing clean electricity investment tax credits, carbon pricing, and regulatory frameworks to encourage grid upgrades and clean power trade. For example, Canada’s Climate Competitiveness Strategy aims to boost clean energy and critical mineral supply chains globally, enhancing trade competitiveness while cutting emissions. Canada

Sustainable supply chain management

In 2026, sustainable supply chain management is becoming central to reducing climate impacts across international trade. Trade agreements and sustainability initiatives are increasingly tying environmental performance to supply chain practices, encouraging cleaner logistics, emissions tracking, and resilient value chains.

A recent OECD working paper emphasizes that trade policy can foster environmentally sustainable supply chains by integrating sustainability standards and climate objectives into trade agreements and corporate practices.

AI and advanced analytics are playing a transformative role by enabling companies to monitor emissions, optimize logistics for lower carbon output, and enhance transparency across multi-tier networks, helping firms make data-driven decisions that reduce carbon footprints while improving efficiency.

These developments reflect a shift from cost-only supply chain metrics toward carbon and environmental risk evaluation, with sustainability strategies embedded into procurement, production, and logistics planning.

Stronger collaboration among trading partners on carbon disclosure and low-emission practices would build resilience while aligning commercial incentives with net-zero goals.

3. Rise of emerging market demand

Emerging markets, particularly those in Southeast Asia and Africa, are becoming increasingly important demand centers in global trade. Countries in the ASEAN region, including Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand, are expanding their imports of manufactured goods, agricultural products, pharmaceuticals, and electrical machinery, driven by robust industrial expansion and stronger trade partnerships.

Africa’s major economies like Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, Tanzania, South Africa, and Ghana are also growing their imports of food products, engineering goods, consumer goods, and medicines as rising populations and urbanization boost domestic consumption.

This shift is widening export opportunities for suppliers outside traditional Western markets and encouraging exporters to diversify into high‑growth developing regions where demand is rising faster than in advanced economies.

4. Competition & customer service shortening delivery times

In 2026, last‑mile delivery remains one of the most complex and important parts of the supply chain, shaped by evolving consumer expectations and ongoing market challenges. Logistics providers will need to address three key areas to stay competitive:

Big and bulky items: Demand for doorstep delivery of oversized goods like furniture and appliances is growing, but many carriers avoid these due to complexity. Specialized networks can turn this into a strategic advantage.

Reliability over speed: A shift in customer priorities shows that most shoppers (about 90%) prefer reliable delivery within 2–3 days rather than ultra‑fast service, highlighting the importance of consistent performance.

Transparent options: Providing clear estimated delivery dates at checkout and flexible delivery choices reduces cart abandonment and improves customer satisfaction.

Overall, successful last‑mile strategies in 2026 will combine specialized services, reliable performance, and delivery transparency to meet shifting consumer needs.

5. Scenario planning a strategic necessity for international businesses

In 2026, international businesses face geopolitical fragmentation, rapid technological change (especially AI), economic volatility, and rising sustainability and regulatory demands.

Scenario planning moves beyond traditional forecasting by exploring multiple plausible futures, helping companies build resilience and agility in global operations.

It uses “digital twins” to simulate different outcomes. Such a tool becomes critical in an unpredictable market. Any situation, even truly disastrous, can be simulated, tested, and solved virtually. So, the company gets a clear action plan before issues happen.

Key drivers include shifting trade alliances and tariffs, accelerating AI and automation with new cybersecurity and workforce implications, fluctuating interest and exchange rates, and increasingly complex ESG and data regulations. Supply chains remain vulnerable to natural disasters, conflicts, and strikes, highlighting the need for diversification and visibility.

Common scenarios that are run through scenario planning technology: Multipolar Patchwork (fragmented global blocs), Global Managed Trade (negotiated flows with policy shifts), and Localization/Self-Sufficiency (nearshoring to reduce geopolitical risk).

6. Shortening supply chains & localized manufacturing

Many companies are working to shorten cross-border supply chains and bring manufacturing closer to end consumers, whether on a national level or within regional trade blocks. For instance, many energy companies are acquiring manufacturing assets in, or shifting production to the Middle East to service regional customers, regardless of where the business is headquartered.

Additionally, there is a desire among multinational companies to develop close relationships and bring local partners into overseas markets where they might historically have sought to grow organically.

That is in part a recognition of a broader desire among customers to work with local counterparts and it often results in joint venture transactions that can bring local operational knowledge.

7. Services trade outpacing merchandise

The World Trade Organization (WTO) and other forecasting bodies indicate a steady, albeit slightly decelerated, growth for services trade in 2026. This contrasts with a significant slowdown projected for merchandise (goods) trade due to ongoing geopolitical tensions and increased tariffs.

Key global trends and factors include:

• Steady Growth: Services are expected to continue outpacing goods trade growth in 2026.
• Service exports a large proportion of Canadian trade growth: Between 2014 and 2024, Canadian service exports more than doubled to $232 B, now representing 23% of total exports and over 7% of GDP, accounting for 62% of the country’s real export growth while goods exports remain largely flat.
• Key Drivers: Growth is particularly strong in digital and business services. The demand for AI-related goods and services is also a significant driver.
• Headwinds: The overall global economic environment remains challenging, with trade disputes, high operating costs, and rising business insolvencies creating uncertainty.

8. Digital currencies transforming cross-border payments

Digital currencies issued or regulated by governments—such as Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) and stablecoins—are becoming a faster, cheaper way to move money across borders.

Today’s global trade payments still rely on slow, complex banking networks that add delays and fees.

CBDCs and regulated stablecoins offer a modern alternative, allowing funds to move almost instantly between trading partners while maintaining the stability of traditional currencies.

Unlike cryptocurrencies that fluctuate in value, stablecoins are backed 1:1 by real-world currencies, making them suitable for everyday trade, treasury, and settlement payments. Their digital design also enables automated payments tied to delivery or contract milestones.

For businesses, the benefits include quicker settlement, lower costs, and greater transparency. Studies show many companies are already achieving double-digit cost savings, and financial institutions expect digital currencies to handle a meaningful share of global payments by 2030.

As regulators in major economies advance real-world adoption, the biggest opportunities will be for platforms that support digital-currency payments seamlessly across international trade.

9. AI becomes the defining competitive advantage for manufacturing in 2026

Deloitte’s 2026 Manufacturing Industry Outlook highlights that artificial intelligence (AI) will be a key driver of competitiveness as manufacturers respond to lingering challenges from 2025—including rising costs, trade policy uncertainty, and slower growth.

According to the report, many manufacturers plan to increase investment in smart manufacturing technologies such as automation, advanced analytics, cloud platforms, and agentic AI, which can independently make decisions to improve productivity, quality, and capacity.

AI’s role is expanding beyond traditional automation to include functions like identifying alternative suppliers during disruptions, capturing retiring workers’ expertise, and improving customer service processes.

Advanced physical AI, such as autonomous robots and robotic systems, is also set to grow, with adoption expected to more than double within two years.

Manufacturers are increasingly using AI to strengthen supply chain resilience, employing AI-driven analytics to monitor risk, forecast disruptions, and rebalance networks in real time. The technology also supports a shift from reactive to predictive services, boosting equipment uptime and customer satisfaction.

Despite talent shortages, AI itself can help capture workforce knowledge and accelerate training. Deloitte concludes that companies that invest strategically in AI and smart manufacturing will be better positioned to navigate uncertainty and widen their competitive advantage in 2026.

10. Growing focus on cybersecurity in supply chains

Heading into 2026, cybersecurity is rising as a core priority in international trade supply chain management, driven by the increasing digitalization of global logistics, manufacturing, and trading systems.

As cross-border commerce relies on interconnected IT systems, cloud platforms, AI-driven operations, and third-party partners, vulnerabilities are expanding, making cybersecurity essential not only for IT teams but for strategic supply chain and trade risk management.

Key aspects shaping this trend:

• Expanded attack surface: Complex global supply chains now include multiple vendors, logistics systems, and digital interfaces. Cyber threats exploit weak links in this ecosystem, with third-party and multi-tier vendor vulnerabilities increasingly leveraged by attackers.
• Regulatory drivers: Standards and regulations like the EU’s NIS2 and broader risk disclosure requirements are pushing businesses involved in international trade to embed cybersecurity compliance and governance into their supply chain protocols.
• Operational risk and resilience: High-impact cyber incidents—such as ransomware attacks disrupting freight operations—underscore the operational risks to global trade flows and reinforce the need for robust cybersecurity measures across partners and transport networks.
• Integrated visibility and trust: In 2026, firms are moving toward end-to-end security visibility, continuous monitoring, and zero-trust frameworks that secure data and operations from origin to delivery across international borders.

In 2026 cybersecurity will no longer be a niche technical concern but a strategic imperative for global trade supply chains. Protecting digital infrastructure and partner networks is critical to ensuring uninterrupted trade operations, regulatory compliance, and confidence among trading partners.

The post Top 10 global trade trends we’ll be watching in 2026 appeared first on Trade Ready.

The following discusses the six most common forms of international business agreements, how they function, and what businesses ought to be aware of when writing or signing such agreements. 

1. International Sales Contracts: The Foundation of Cross-Border Trade 

An international sales contract is a contract that regulates a sale between a buyer and a seller located in different countries. It establishes prices, product specifications, terms of payment, delivery terms, risk transfer, and dispute resolution procedures. The most significant element of these contracts is the application of Incoterms, the internationally accepted system of delivery regulations issued by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). 

Incoterms can be defined as the essential terms of trade for the sale of goods worldwide. According to the National Law Review, more than 90% of global trade contracts incorporate Incoterms in some form. 

Some of the common errors that exporters commit include the use of undisclosed terms of delivery, no reference to the version of the Incoterms, and the use of purchase orders rather than a comprehensive contract.

Exporters should ensure that the selected rule of Incoterms fits their logistics and capacity, confirm payment security, and that the law in force is properly defined before signing.

2. Distribution Agreements 

A distribution agreement is a contract where a foreign distributor purchases products and sells them in a specified area. The model suits companies intending to expand abroad without having to invest in a foreign branch or sales force. The distributor manages inventory, marketing, sales, and customer support – they usually take on the brunt of financial risk. For an exporter they are a cost-effective entry mode to new markets without having a physical presence. 

Distribution arrangements may become problematic in cases where there is uncertainty about the territory, exclusivity, or ambiguity in performance obligations.

Exporters are recommended to evaluate the distributor market coverage, financial strength, brand protection commitment, and reporting obligations. Clear regulations regarding marketing, digital sales, and intellectual property aid in the avoidance of conflict in the short and long term.  

3. Agency Agreements 

Compared to distribution, an agency agreement is different because an agent does not buy goods. Rather, the agent markets the products of the exporter and receives commission on successful sales. The exporter has full control over pricing, ownership, and invoicing.

In most jurisdictions, agency agreements are highly controlled. For example, as per European Union Law, “commercial agents are entitled to statutory termination compensation even if the contract states otherwise.” 

Companies often face issues when they blur the line between agents and distributors, do not clearly define authority, or fail to include confidentiality and intellectual property safeguards.

Exporters should review commission systems, clarify that the agent is allowed to sign on behalf of them, and verify that all domestic legal requirements (including claims to compensation) are familiar.

4. Licensing Agreements 

A licensing agreement gives a foreign firm rights to utilize intellectual property – trademarks, software, proprietary formulas, technology, or manufacturing processes –  in return of royalties or fees. Licensing also enables firms to venture across borders without transporting products or constructing facilities. 

The greatest risks are in markets where intellectual property protection is weak. Poorly executed licensing agreements may result in unauthorized duplication, brand damage, or a dispute over the calculation of payments. Licensors need to specify the scope of the license such as territory, exclusivity, duration, and quality-control conditions. Audit rights are necessary to facilitate the proper reporting of royalty. 

Companies need to consider the robustness of local IP laws, review the production or service levels of the licensee, and determine the precise sanctions against abuse of intellectual property before engaging in a licensing agreement.

5. Franchise Agreements 

A franchise agreement gives a franchisee the opportunity to run a business under the name of the franchisor, using their systems and business model. Franchising is common in hospitality, food service, retail, personal care and education sectors. 

According to the International Franchise Association (IFA), the growth of franchising remains high. In 2024 alone, U.S. franchises were expected to grow by more than 15,000 new locations, creating over 221,000 jobs. 

Globally, franchise and distribution legal services have been projected to expand at a double-digit CAGR in the time period ranging from 2025 to 2035, which shows continued global growth. 

Cross-border franchising involves adapting to the local laws, consumer behaviour, and standards of operation. Failure can be common when training is inadequate or when franchisees do not stick to the set standards.

Major points to consider before signing are the franchise fee, royalties, advertising expenses, quality-control measures, and the limitation of brand usage.

6. Joint Venture Agreements 

A joint venture (JV) is the process in which two or more companies establish a new business or a new business partnership to enter the market, create new technologies, or distribute the operational risks. JVs are widespread in fields where the entry barriers and capital requirements are high, or local knowledge is limited.

Nonetheless, JVs can be considered one of the most complicated international business contracts to negotiate. Mismatched expectations, poor governance systems, poor intellectual property rights, and exit systems are some major areas of dispute. Companies need to make clear profit sharing arrangements, decision making, dispute resolution, confidentiality, and jointly developed IP ownership before joint venturing.

Key Action Principles for Drafting Strong International Business Contracts 

In any international business agreement there are a number of principles when drafting. Words should be used clearly, expressions that are ambiguous may mean something different in different jurisdictions. All contracts must stipulate the law of governing and dispute resolution system including international arbitration over treaties like the New York Convention.

The appropriate version of Incoterms and the port or delivery point should be mentioned in contracts. In transactions focusing on intellectual property, including licensing agreements, franchise agreements, and distribution agreements, clauses of high level of confidentiality and IP-protection are absolutely non-negotiable.

Due diligence is also critical. Companies ought to research on the financial strength, reputation, and capacity of their foreign associates. Knowledge of local regulations helps to avoid unforeseen liabilities during contract negotiations, and especially in markets where there are agency law or foreign-ownership regulations. Finally, every contract must include a transparent and practical termination plan, without one, even strong partnerships can end in costly disputes. 

Helpful Resources for Global Exporters 

To deepen your understanding of international business contracts, these official sources provide detailed guidance: 

Trade Commissioner Service (Canada): Offers practical guidance on legal, compliance, and contract considerations. 

ICC — Incoterms® 2020 (International Chamber of Commerce): The official ICC page for Incoterms®: authoritative explanations, purchase information, and guidance on the 11 trade rules used in international sales contracts. 

U.S. International Trade Administration — Learn How to Export: U.S. government guidance on export readiness, documentation, payment methods, and compliance, helpful when structuring international sales contracts. 

WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) — WIPO Home: Global IP authority with tools and guidance for protecting trademarks, patents, designs, and other IP central to licensing, franchising, and distribution agreements. 

Strengthening Your Global Business with the Right Agreements 

International expansion rewards companies that prepare well. Exporters are able to reduce risk, protect intellectual property and establish successful cross-border relationships with well-defined, well-considered international business agreements.

The knowledge of international sales contracts, distribution agreements, agency agreements, licensing agreements, franchise agreements, and joint venture agreements assists North American exporters to act with confidence and grow sustainably in the global market. 

The post 6 types of common international business contracts appeared first on Trade Ready.

As Bloomberg recently reported in its 2025 analysis “Re-wiring Global Trade: From Tariffs to Regional Opportunity,” companies around the world are redesigning their supply chains in real time, “shifting from global dependency to regional resilience.” It’s a transformation felt not just in boardrooms and ports, but also in the hiring patterns that determine which trade skills and which professionals are in highest demand. 

For job seekers, this shift comes with opportunity.

Many international trade jobs are evolving far faster than traditional corporate positions, and recruiters are rethinking the mix of skills and qualifications that matter most in a system that’s increasingly dominated by fluctuation.

The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 makes this clear: “The most prominent skills differentiating growing from declining jobs are resilience, flexibility, and technological literacy.” 

So which trade jobs will grow fastest in 2026? Why are they booming? And what can professionals do to land them? The answers lie at the intersection of geopolitics, economics, and technology—especially AI. 

Trade compliance is booming—and changing rapidly

Trade compliance roles have exploded over the past three years, a trend that shows no signs of slowing. In 2026, the field is expected to grow even faster. Not because companies suddenly value paperwork, but because the rules that govern global commerce have become both harder and costlier to ignore. 

The surge comes from a convergence of forces: 

• New sanctions and export-control rules, often rewritten with little notice 
• A fractured geopolitical landscape, where alliances shift and trade blocs tighten 
• Tariff swings and counter-tariff policies, which affect everything from steel to semiconductors 
• Digital customs modernization, forcing companies to comply with faster, more automated systems
• Steeper penalties for missteps, including reputational damage and shipment seizures 

In its paper Trade Compliance for Leadership, the World Economic Forum warns that “non-compliance with new trade requirements could affect hundreds of billions of dollars of trade flows,” noting that the field has become “a competitive advantage rather than a bureaucratic function.” In other words, companies no longer want compliance experts – they need them. 

Companies no longer want trade compliance experts – they need them.

This shift is reshaping entire hiring pipelines. Roles like the following are becoming mainstream: 

• Trade Compliance Specialist 
• Sanctions Analyst 
• Export Controls Manager 
• Customs Operations Lead  

Even traditional logistics roles increasingly require compliance fluency; a Logistics Coordinator today needs to understand HS classification, sanctions screening, and free-trade agreements with a level of mastery once reserved for specialists. 

What’s driving this hunger? Every major geopolitical event creates new vulnerabilities. U.S.–China tensions reshape sourcing strategies. EU carbon-border rules reprice the cost of entire supply chains. Disruptions in the Red Sea, Black Sea, and Panama Canal force companies to re-route vessels through unfamiliar jurisdictions. Each shift adds a new layer of documentation, interpretation, and risk. 

This means companies are no longer looking for people who simply “know compliance.” They want professionals who can navigate it, interpret it, and anticipate it. Recruiters increasingly expect candidates to have: 

• Deep, current-day knowledge of HS classification, sanctions, and export controls 
• Accredited training in importing, exporting, and global trade operations (FITTskills, compliance certifications) 
• Proven accuracy in cross-border documentation and risk mitigation 
• A professional designation, such as the CITP, that validates applied competence rather than theoretical familiarity 

Additionally, the rise of AI in compliance has only intensified this trend. AI tools can classify goods or flag potential violations, but companies need human oversight—professionals who can question an algorithm’s decision, audit its logic, and intervene when the result could trigger a fine or shipment delay.

Compliance, in its modern form, is becoming a hybrid of legal understanding, operational savvy, and technological judgment.

Customs expertise is moving from the back office to the C-suite

Across industries, customs management has quietly shifted from an administrative afterthought to a strategic lever. This evolution has been so dramatic that Maersk recently predicted customs will become “a business strategy,” and an increasingly important C-suite conversation.

In other words,

Companies are investing in customs leadership and strategy because clearance delays, misclassified goods, or misinterpreted rules now carry enormous financial and operational consequences.

This elevation is partly driven by complexity. Tariffs change faster than production cycles. Digital customs systems—once piloted by a handful of countries—are becoming global norms, demanding real-time accuracy instead of end-of-month reconciliation. And with the proliferation of regional trade agreements, origin determination has become both a cost-saving tool and a compliance trap. 

As a result, international trade jobs that handle regulatory shifts analytically, yet solve operational bottlenecks with practical, hands-on logistical processes are rising in prominence: 

• Global Customs Manager 
• Customs Strategy Lead 
• Import/Export Risk Manager 

Additionally, these roles may also require cross-department collaboration, fluency with digital platforms, and the ability to explain regulatory nuance to executives. Candidates who pair customs knowledge with strategic thinking, especially those with credentials like the CITP, are increasingly in demand. 

AI has also entered this domain, especially in predictive clearance tools that estimate potential delays or compliance risks. But here too, human oversight is essential. Someone must interpret the model, judge its assumptions, and adjust the company’s routing or documentation strategy accordingly. 

Risk mitigation and resilience roles are surging worldwide

If the pandemic exposed the fragility of supply chains and business resilience, the years that followed turned that fragility into a central business strategy. In 2025 alone surging freight prices, tariff wars, and resource volatility dominated headlines across the world. 

This volatility has fueled a rise in positions focused on anticipation and resilience rather than pure logistics. Companies are hiring: 

• Supply-Chain Risk Managers 
• Scenario Planning Analysts 
• Resilience Strategists 
• Nearshoring Advisors 

The rationale for this is simple: global operations no longer hinge on efficiency alone. They hinge on flexibility and adaptability. 

A Risk Manager might be asked to answer questions like: If this port shuts down for 10 days, what’s our plan? If this tariff increases by 14%, how does it change our sourcing? If conflict spreads into this region, how do we maintain continuity? 

The skills required to answer these time-sensitive matters mirror those of modern geopolitical analysts and data specialists.

Employers want people who can parse global news, interpret economic trends, and translate both into quantifiable risk metrics.

Analytical tools matter, but sound judgment and practical application matter more. 

Once again, AI for risk assessment is a collaborator, not a replacement. Predictive models can scan thousands of data points and suggest potential disruptions or outliers, but they cannot decide whether a company should nearshore production, diversify suppliers, or reshape its freight network. 

Human reasoning and experience remain fundamental. 

Technology and data roles are becoming the new backbone of trade

As global trade moves with the pace of innovation, technology-driven roles are emerging as some of the most futureproof. Customs authorities are deploying digital portals, freight companies are investing in predictive modeling, and multinational corporations are automating the most complex and repetitive parts of their supply chains. 

This has created a surge in demand for professionals who can bridge two worlds: global trade and data, such as 

• Trade-Technology Architects 
• Digital Logistics Analysts 
• Trade Data Scientists 

These roles demand comfort with trade systems (like SAP GTS or Oracle GTM) and fluency with analytics tools. They also require curiosity, an ability to understand how data flows across borders, and how disruptions in one node ripple across the system. 

While AI has catalyzed this shift, it has also created a new kind of professional: one who understands both the logic of machine learning and the nuance of global regulation.

In these roles, AI becomes more of a system to manage, refine, and parse information from, while the basic elements of trade (checking the forms, assessing the costs, managing the different teams) remain very much human-operated and supervised. 

International sales and market-expansion roles remain resilient

For all the talk of automation, the human side of global commerce is still thriving. Companies expanding into new regions, especially across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, need people who can navigate cultures, regulations, and emerging-market dynamics. Roles related to these skills include; 

• International Business Development Experts 
• Global Partnerships Leads 
• Cross-Border E-Commerce Strategists 

These careers remain in demand because relationships are still at the heart of global trade. AI can crunch customer analytics, but it cannot negotiate trust, adapt to cultural nuances, or build long-term partnerships.  

AI can’t shake your hand, and most business professionals will tell you a handshake can tell you a lot.

Professionals who can blend strategic analysis with interpersonal skills, especially those who understand both regulatory risk and global customer behaviour, have a distinct advantage. 

How to get these international trade jobs in 2026

Across all these roles, recruiters are converging around a common set of expectations: 

1. Proven and measurable impact
   Hiring managers want real numbers: reduced clearance times, cost savings from trade agreements, documented risk mitigation. Generic statements no longer stand out. 
2. Recognized credentials
   The CITP designation is becoming increasingly sought after because it signals rounded competence, not theoretical exposure. CITPs come pre-vetted, reassuring employers that a candidate understands the entire world of trade, from feasibility studies and financial strategy to marketing, customs, risk, compliance and beyond. For instance, the FITT CITP Competency Profile encompasses 15 major competency categories, 26 skill areas, 78 subskills, and over 1,100 performance and knowledge statements. The standards are so robust because the skills needed to work in today’s global trade waters are robust too. 
3. Digital and AI fluency (or at a minimum, awareness)
   Candidates don’t need to be engineers, but they must understand how AI tools work, where they fail, and how to validate their outputs. 
4. Current-state global trade awareness
   Professionals who can read a geopolitical shift and understand its downstream impact on trade flows are the ones who will rise fastest. Companies don’t want specialists who simply execute instructions—they want thinkers who can anticipate. 

The future of trade careers belongs to the adaptable

The international trade landscape of 2026 will reward professionals who blend regulatory literacy, operational insight, digital sophistication, and geopolitical awareness. AI may automate the repetitive tasks, but the fastest-growing jobs are those requiring the highest levels of judgment. 

As the WEF notes, “technology will replace tasks, not talent.”

The value will come from people who can navigate complexity, see around corners, and translate global volatility into practical strategies that guide companies and their people toward success. 

The post The fastest-growing international trade jobs for 2026 and how to get them appeared first on Trade Ready.

As Peter Harrell of Carnegie Endowment for International Peace notes, “trade is a key element of solving global challenges that affect us all, like the green energy transition and the risks of AI and the digital economy.”

To compete and avoid costly mistakes, it’s critical for business owners, consultants, and aspiring trade professionals to learn the language of international commerce. Read on for 25 international trade terms you should know to confidently navigate global markets.

Basic international trade terms

On the most fundamental level, everyone should know these basic terms. They help to shape the foundation of cross-border trade.

• Export – Sending goods or services from your country to another for sale.
• Import – Bringing goods or services into your country from abroad.

• Tariff – A type of tax one country places on goods coming in from other countries. It drives up the price of foreign goods for both foreign businesses and domestic shoppers. According to Michael Ligon of Forbes, tariffs may be used as a “tool to regulate trade, protect domestic industries, and generate revenue.”

• Trade Balance – The difference between a country’s exports and imports. A positive balance means the country has more exports (a trade surplus). A negative one means that they have more imports (a trade deficit). To calculate trade balance, you’d use this equation: Trade Balance = Total Value of Exports – Total Value of Imports.
• Exchange Rate – The value of one country’s currency compared to another. It affects how much it costs to buy and sell across borders.

Shipping and delivery terms

These shipping and delivery terms will help you clarify obligations and make the trade process more transparent for everyone:

1. Incoterms (International Commercial Terms) – Internationally recognized trade rules that outline seller and buyer responsibilities in an export transaction. These rules were created by the International Chamber of Commerce. The following terms are all examples of commonly used Incoterms.
2. EXW (Ex Works) – A situation where the seller makes the goods available at a specified location. The buyer pays all the transport and export costs.
3. FOB (Free on Board) – The point at which the seller no longer owns goods. It’s when ownership is transferred to the buyer. It also determines who is liable when goods are damaged during the shipping process.
4. CIF (Cost, Insurance, and Freight) – When the seller pays for transport and insurance to the destination port. Once the goods are shipped, the buyer becomes responsible for any further costs.
5. CFR (Cost and Freight) – The seller delivers the goods to the vessel at the port of shipment and then pays for transport. They do not pay for insurance. The buyer unloads the goods at the destination port and pays taxes, tariffs, import duties, and any further transportation costs. Risk transfers from seller to buyer as soon as the goods are on board.
6. DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) – A deal where the seller takes on all of the costs associated with the goods (transport, insurance/losses, and customs duties). Once the goods arrive at the agreed-upon destination, the buyer is typically responsible for unloading the goods and transporting them from the port to their warehouse.
7. CPT (Carriage Paid To) – The seller pays for shipping to a named destination (they don’t pay for insurance). The buyer takes on risk once the goods are handed to the carrier.
8. Group C and Group D Terms – Group C means the seller pays for transport but not risk (CIF, CFR). Group D means the seller handles delivery all the way to the destination (DDP).

How much do you know about Incoterms® 2020? Take this quiz to test your knowledge.

Payment and finance terms

Whether you’re an importer or exporter, these finance terms can help reduce risk in any trade transaction:

1. Letter of Credit (LC) – A guarantee from a bank stating that the seller will get paid once all delivery terms are met and the bank receives proof of shipment. Think of it as the buyer saying, “If the seller follows the rules and sends us the appropriate documents, we promise to pay them.” The letter will outline the payment amount and when the payment will be made.
2. Bill of Exchange – A written promise that the buyer will pay a specific amount on a set date. It’s much like an invoice, but for international trade agreements.
3. Open Account –  A sale where the seller ships goods before the buyer pays (usually 30, 60, or 90 days before the payment due date). This type of arrangement is typically reserved for trusted, long-time buyers.
4. Documentary Collection – A payment method where the seller’s bank collects payment from the buyer’s bank once shipping documents are exchanged. The banks don’t verify the validity of the documents, though. This form of payment is ideal for merchandise and commodity exports.
5. Forfaiting – Selling future medium and long-term receivables to a bank or finance company at a discount to boost cash flow.
6. Export Credit Insurance – Insurance that protects sellers if the buyer doesn’t pay or if political issues interfere with the transaction.

Learn more about trade finance terms.

Trade policy and compliance terms

Trade policies and regulations shape how goods cross borders. These terms help to define the rules behind tariffs, agreements, and market access.

1. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) – A deal between two countries that want to trade freely. As part of the agreement, tariffs are usually reduced or removed for certain goods and services. Other trade barriers may be eliminated as well (quotas, subsidies, etc.).
2. Non-Tariff Barrier (NTB) – Anything that makes it harder for two countries to trade with each other. Some of the most common NTBs are quotas, special standards, and licensing rules.
3. Customs Duty – A tax charged for any goods coming into the country. It is expressed as a percentage and is based on the item’s total value.
4. Harmonized System (HS) Code – The Harmonized System (HS) is a global system used to classify goods. This system is managed by the World Customs Organization. These codes have 6 digits, but individual countries may add more to allow for deeper classification.
5. Most-Favored-Nation (MFN) – A World Trade Organization clause stating that countries must treat all of their trading partners equally when it comes to tariffs and trade rules.

Logistics and documentation terms

Trade runs heavily on paperwork. These documents prove ownership, describe goods, and keep shipments moving forward without delays.

1. Bill of Lading (B/L) – This is a legal document that serves as proof that goods were shipped. It also acts as a title document and a shipping contract. Here’s an example of a B/L.
2. Certificate of Origin – A certificate that confirms where a given product was made. It’s used in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Although it’s not always required, a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Certificate of Origin helps to determine whether a product qualifies for tariff benefits (low or no tariffs).
3. Commercial Invoice – The official document issued by the exporter to the buyer. It lists information about the goods, the buyer, the seller, and the shipment. It’s the main document used by the customs authorities in the importing country.
4. Proforma Invoice – A preliminary invoice is very much like a quote; it shows the buyer what a shipment will include and how much it will cost. It is sent to the buyer before the goods are shipped.
5. Packing List – A list of what’s inside each package. It includes quantities, weights, and measurements, and more. It’s used for customs checks and warehouse organization.

Mastering the language of global trade

Knowing the above terms can help you “speak trade” more confidently when negotiating contracts, shipping goods overseas, or reviewing customs documents. The more fluent you are, the smoother your deals and deliveries will be.

To dig deeper, explore more trade glossaries:

• Incoterms® 2020
• International Trade Council Glossary
• American World Trade Chamber of Commerce International Trade Glossary
• World Bank Global Trade Glossary

The post 25 International trade terms you should know appeared first on Trade Ready.

And for good reason, since many factors of running a company rely on this liquid asset. As 2025 completes its final fiscal quarter, a few things are prompting the need for cash, including actions to drive growth, technology investments, and meeting order demand for the holiday shopping season.

High on the list of why strong cash flow is advantageous to a company is the financial flexibility it gives them. Strengthening liquidity empowers businesses to actively spot growth opportunities and pursue them, or it can mean pivoting when needed due to changing trade policy and tariffs.

One way a company can strengthen their liquidity position is by utilizing trade finance, or a type of financing where a company sells their receivables to a third-party financial partner in exchange for cash.

Trade finance is used by exporters, importers and others engaged in international trade to execute efficient cash flow management and facilitate growth abroad.

Let’s take a look at what’s happening in the business climate and why cash matters.

Holiday shopping comes early

The holidays are around the corner, and retailers haven’t missed a beat in stocking their shelves for the holiday shopping rush.

Deloitte’s “2025 Retail Holiday Buyer Survey” revealed that respondents placed over half of all their holiday orders by the end of May, choosing to frontload their inventory for the season. May proved to be nearly two months earlier than last year based on the 2024 version of the survey.

The survey also shows that,

“nearly 50% of surveyed retail buyers said they plan to increase sourcing from new vendors, with an average of 35% of holiday orders moving to new suppliers or countries.”

Retailers may be stocking up earlier this year and executing new sourcing strategies, but one thing is staying constant – working capital is a must to get products in store for the holiday season.

To fill holiday orders placed by retailers and buyers, suppliers require ample cash to procure raw materials, increase production capacity, and for other operational costs. Fluctuations in seasonal demand, as is seen with ramped up sales ahead of the holidays, require flexible financing that can grow with the rise in order volumes.

Trade finance does just that, providing scalable funding that accommodates seasonality. In fact, 80-90% of global trade depends on trade finance today.

Importantly, trade finance, which is designed to bridge cash flow along the supply chain and close any cash gaps, helps facilitate favorable (and extended) payment terms between international buyers and suppliers, so suppliers can get paid upfront and importers and retailers can enjoy longer windows to settle their invoices.

With retailers front loading orders 2 months ahead of the typical schedule and reconfiguring their supply chains, having greater access to cash through trade finance allows businesses to sidestep cash flow disruptions, stay nimble, and make necessary decisions in real time, without the worry of liquidity constraints.

AI & automation

AI is no longer some remote new technology on the block. It is here to stay, and there’s a resounding theme that has come with it: either adopt this new breakthrough technology or potentially risk becoming obsolete.

CEOs have gotten the memo.

In leading audit firm KPMG’s recently released “KPMG 2025 Global CEO Outlook”, CEOs expressed their commitment to AI. The survey revealed “over seven in ten CEOs (71%) say that AI is a top investment priority.”

Company enhancements don’t come free. Investing in AI and automation takes liquidity to both implement the technology into operations and upskill and train staff. We can already see this in the case of manufacturing, where automation is increasingly being implemented into factory production lines.

Take Sharpie for example. The marker maker, which nearly moved their entire supply chain to the U.S. save felt tips from Japan, is said to have largely automated production of their namesake pens, as reported in the Wall Street Journal. Sharpie employees, rather than assembling the writing instruments themselves, have taken on the role of supervising production lines.

While Sharpie is a case of both automation and onshoring their supply chain, the idea here is that companies are continuing to make strategic decisions that refresh operations.

Having a position of financial flexibility afforded through trade finance can be helpful while navigating the new business climate.

Financing bigger AI investments, which promote product forecasting and supply chain optimization, may indeed require other sources of capital, but factoring receivables via trade finance can help free up cash flow to support other core functions of the business.

Freeing up cash flow can also be indirectly beneficial for companies involved in mergers & acquisitions and other partnerships, which can be capital intensive undertakings. One major partnership just announced is OpenAI’s partnership with chipmaker AMD.

Case in point: making strategic moves for your company hinges in part on available liquidity, which is what trade finance is designed to do – enhancing a company’s cash levels.

Getting comfortable with the unknown

In 2025, U.S. tariffs have been game changing for international trade. Companies have had to embrace pivoting in one way or another. In some cases, that has meant moving production from Country A to Country B to avoid high import duties. In other cases it has meant gaining market share in new export markets.

When it comes to tariffs, companies have pledged to raise consumer prices as a last resort, after already trying out different strategies.

The theme of uncertainty is now part and parcel to leading a business. While tariffs dominate international trade, other events have shaken up the trade world in recent history like Covid 19, limited shipping capacity on the Panama Canal, and the Red Sea crisis.

Trade finance: the liquidity enhancer

Trade finance is a set of financial instruments used to strengthen liquidity and protect against trade risk, facilitating secure cross-border trade. It is useful for manufacturers, exporters, importers and others engaged in international trade or buying and selling at home.

Here’s how it works. Through export factoring, a type of trade finance, a company can sell its unpaid receivables to a third-party financial provider in return for cash. This mechanism allows suppliers to receive payment for their orders right away, rather than having to wait the 30+ days common in today’s payment terms.

Export factoring allows companies to enhance their liquidity, improve cash flow, achieve financial flexibility, and drive sustainable business growth.

In some cases, it also includes credit protection, ensuring payment to the supplier in the case of buyer default, and collections services, streamlining payment receipt in foreign markets. Both credit protection and collections are set up by the third-party factoring partner.

While export factoring focuses on cash flow for the supplier, supply chain finance optimizes working capital for the entire value chain. Supply chain finance arrangements are typically initiated by the buyer, and guarantees early funding for the vendor while allowing the retailer to enjoy longer payment terms – and hold onto their cash.

In essence, both export factoring and supply chain finance are win-win solutions for buyers and suppliers to negotiate more favorable payment terms and optimize liquidity levels.

Financial flexibility in today’s shifting trade environment

International trade and the overall business climate are experiencing a lot of change, from AI adoption, to shifting supply chains, to new trade policies dictated in large part by U.S. tariffs.

Given shifting supply chains, accelerated purchases by retailers, and the looming threat of trade uncertainties, financial flexibility is more valuable than ever.

By monetizing receivables through trade finance and eliminating the long wait of payment terms, companies can access cash to make decisions in real time. This fast funding gives exporters and manufacturers the leeway to adapt and stay nimble when new growth opportunities arise or if any headwinds shake up the international trade climate and they need to play defense – and offense.

In times like these, where business conditions can change at a moment’s notice, maintaining strong liquidity is a competitive advantage for companies to stay nimble and execute business decisions, fast.

Factoring and trade finance are useful financial solutions to generate immediate liquidity and protect and elevate your business, now and in the future.

The post Strengthening liquidity is crucial in today’s trade environment – here’s how your company can free up cash flow appeared first on Trade Ready.

Food fraud refers to the deliberate substitution, addition, tampering, or misrepresentation of food, food ingredients, or food packaging for economic gain. It can take a variety of forms, from diluting high-quality olive oil with low grades or substitutes, or mislabelling a non-organic product as organic, to passing off a lower grade of commodity as a premium.

The scale of the problem is staggering. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Consumer Brands Association, food fraud is estimated to cost the global food industry between $40 billion and $50 billion annually.

Beyond the financial losses, it undermines consumer trust, damages brand reputation, and, in extreme cases, poses a significant public health risk.

For exporters, specifically in emerging markets, a single instance of fraud in the supply chain can result in loss of access to high potential markets and consequently damage financial gains as well as reputation. The challenge is compounded by the fact that many fraudulent activities occur deep within multimodal supply chains, far from the point of origin, making detection difficult without a proper traceability solution.

The global rise of food fraud

Many of the latest supply chain trends have made food fraud hard to detect.

Globalized supply chain: Food production and consumption spread across multiple countries. For instance, a farm product is grown in one country and processed in another country, where it is packed and sold by a third party before reaching the end consumer. Each stage of this chain increases the opportunity for fraud.

Rising demand for premium products: As demand for has grown for high-quality and high-value products such as organic food, single-origin coffee, unaltered honey, and ghee, so has the alteration in these items.

Economic shift: Inflation, supply chain disruptions, and demand for low prices attract some actors to cut corners and misrepresent products to maintain margins.

Complex Regulations: Different regulations across countries can create loopholes. Fraud happens through false testing, certifications, and documentation.

A 2023 report by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre found that products such as honey, olive oil, fish, meat, and dairy were among the most frequently adulterated foods in international markets. For example, investigations have revealed instances where up to 20% of honey on store shelves was either diluted with sugar syrups or misrepresented in terms of origin.

Why traditional quality checks fall short

Traditionally, food authenticity has been verified through laboratory testing and documentation checklists. However, there are some limitations. Typically lab tests are taken from a random batch of the total lot produced at a specific moment and cannot track the full journey of all the batches or lots shipped.

Furthermore, documents such as bills of lading and quality reports (COAs) are often paper-based and can be easily forged.

SMEs, which make up the bulk of global food exporters, may lack resources for frequent lab tests or be unaware of complex compliance systems.

Laboratory tests alone cannot verify that the product’s origin or production process matches reality, and this is where technology-driven traceability offers a competitive advantage.

Technology in motion

Emerging technologies are contributing greatly to how the food industry is fighting fraud. By enabling real-time end-to-end traceability, these tools make it difficult for fraudulent practices to go undetected.

Blockchain-based systems: Blockchain creates an immutable, distributed ledger of transactions. In a food supply chain each journey can be recorded from farm harvest to export clearance to retail delivery. Blockchain records are time stamped and tamper-proof. They provide a high degree of trust. Numerous retailers and governments are already piloting blockchain projects for commodities such as beef, fish, coffee, and other seafood.

Smart QR code-based solutions: Smart barcodes link each physical product or batch to a digital record; it is also referred to as a digital product passport. By scanning the QR codes, buyers and regulators can access detailed information, such as the farm origin, processing facility, quality certifications, transport dates, and conditions. Those can be paired with blockchain as well as IoT sensors, which add additional layers of temperature, humidity, and live impact of the cargo.

Internet of Things (IoT) sensors: IoT devices can monitor and transmit environmental conditions, such as temperature, humidity, and location, throughout the transportation and storage. For perishable goods, this ensures that cold chain integrity is maintained, reducing spoilage and fraud.

Artificial Intelligence Analytics: AI algorithms can detect anomalies in trade patterns, shipping routes, or quality metrics that may signal fraudulent activities. For instance, if a cargo of organic coffee is sourced from a region that has no history of growing or shipping organic coffee, AI can flag it for inspection

An example of traceability in agriculture

Consider a mid-sized agriculture exporter supplying high-grade soybeans to European buyers. In the past, their shipment was occasionally delayed due to random customs inspections for authentication and compliance.

By implementing a digital traceability system combined with QR-coded batch tracking and blockchain-based certification, the exporter could provide buyers with instant access to proof of origin, processing records, and quality tests.

This tracking alone would reduce the number of rejected cargos and shorten the customs clearance time because officers could verify the product’s journey remotely.

In addition, the exporter could integrate IoT-based moisture sensors during transit to ensure that the product met EU import moisture standards, preventing spoilage and rejection. As a result, a soybean exporter gains the buyer’s confidence, reduces compliance risk, and maintains a stronger competitive position in premium markets.

A clear business case for investing in technology-driven traceability

Market Access: Numerous countries in the EU and the Americas are moving toward mandatory digital traceability for certain food categories.

Brand Reputation: Verification of the product’s authenticity builds consumer trust and allows brands to justify premium products.

Operational Efficiency: Centralized digital records reduce administrative burdens and speed up compliance monitoring.

Alignment with ESG Goals: Traceability supports environmental, social, and governance reporting by documenting sustainable practices.

Companies that adopt these systems early can position themselves as leaders in transparency and distinguish their brand and products in competitive markets.

Policy and regulatory considerations

Governments and trade bodies are increasingly focusing on food safety issues. They can accelerate adoption of traceability technology by:

• Offering subsidies or tax incentives for SMEs adopting approved systems
• Mandating digital origin documentation for sensitive food categories

The EU’s ‘Farm to Fork‘ strategy and the US Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) are examples of such frameworks. In Asia, countries like Singapore are experimenting with national blockchain traceability systems to strengthen food security.

Challenges to adoption

Despite the clear benefits, certain barriers remain:

• Cost Concerns: Initial setup costs can deter smaller producers.
• Training: Farmers, processors, and operators require training to use such tools.
• Data Privacy: Sharing detailed supply chain information raises concerns about proprietary data protection.

These challenges, while significant, are not unconquerable. Industry collaborations, government incentives, and scalable cloud-based solutions are already helping SMEs participate in digital traceability networks.

Looking ahead at the future of traceability

The next decade is likely to see traceability technology evolve beyond fraud prevention into a broader quality and sustainability tool. Developments may include:

• DNA tagging for precise origin verification
• Satellite imaging to verify crop origin
• Consumer-facing mobile apps for transparency, allowing buyers to trace the end-to-end journey of a product

In the future, digital traceability may become as necessary as nutritional labelling today, and companies without it may find themselves excluded from key markets.

Food fraud poses a threat to safety, brand integrity, and export reputations. Technology-driven traceability offers a solution through a blockchain, smart barcodes, IoT, and AI. In the evolving landscape of global trade, transparency is not just a competitive advantage—it is a license to operate.

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