BIC’s timely Books Across Borders Project launched with the aim of capturing and promoting best practice for international trade. It is a complex area: trade is global, legislation evolves, geopolitics exerts influence and supply chains are stretched.
The project has now published the best practice. Each of the documents below focuses on one aspect of international trade in the book supply chain:
Supply Chain Maps. These provide a high-level overview of the international supply chain for metadata, book and related product, and business to business vs business to consumer workflows.
Glossary. Terms and abbreviations can be confusing. This extensive, single point of reference captures meanings according to their context in the book supply chain or international trade more generally.
Metadata Requirements. Metadata is not just about discovery. We capture those data elements that ensure the smooth flow of international trade together with supporting notes and links for ONIX and non-ONIX users.
Documentation. Paperwork can be confusing. The essential requirements are captured, accompanied by sample documents, explanatory notes on their completion and details of additional resources.
Roles and Responsibilities. A visual approach uses INCOTERMS as the succinct way of capturing key responsibilities in international trade. A set of more general roles and responsibilities is also provided.
HS and Commodity Codes. These codes are demystified, their structure explained and their importance to international trade described. Correctly communicating data on the types of goods being traded by market informs duties, quotas, tariffs, statistics and tax rates.
VAT. This offers a brief overview of a complex area. The tax varies by market but is integral to all stages of the product cycle. Always seek legal advice on the local laws governing tax.
Imports to the Island of Ireland. Trade can sometimes be problematic. This captures the main pitfalls to be aware of and the proactive steps to take, including links to additional resources.
Look out for a single document capturing all the above to be published soon. For more information on BIC’s strategic projects and how to play your part in shaping a more efficient and sustainable book supply chain, please contact info@bic.org.uk