International distribution is crossing borders. Time to market is key for many products. Informed compliance and awareness of regulatory opportunities and limitations reduces supply chain interruptions, risks and costs. Bird & Bird is one of the few international law firms with a dedicated International Trade and Customs team.
Our experience includes tariff-based trade barriers and related topics such as:
- customs classification (with an emphasis on consumer electronics, IT and telecoms products as well as food)
- customs valuation (with a focus on outsourcing manufacturing, R&D, royalties, license fees and complex supply chains)
- rules of origin
- We have specific expertise in relation to the WTO Information Technology Agreement for IT and telecoms products
We focus on setting up tax efficient international procurement and supply chains while reducing compliance costs.
In addition, our team advises, and where necessary litigates, on non-tariff trade barriers relating to:
- export controls, strategic and dual use products
- food and product safety (including RoHS and the EU General Food Law)
- environmental (including WEEE and the Basel rules for waste shipment)
- the EU common agricultural policy
- packaging and labeling (including country of origin marking)
Our Trade and Customs lawyers, together with the regulatory specialists of the firm, advise on export controls for dual-use goods and technologies (including technology transfer and deemed exports) and economic sanctions. Our network of specialists enables us to provide co-ordinated multi-jurisdictional advice both on EU as well as national levels.
Together with the firm’s intellectual property lawyers, our International Trade and Customs team has extensive and unique experience in advising both plaintiffs and defendants in patent and technology disputes on the strategic use of TRIPS border measures, as well as setting up anti-counterfeiting operations.
Our lawyers represent clients before EU customs and other administrations, national customs & administrative courts, the EU Commission and its advisory committees as well as before the European Court of Justice.
We are able to advise on the harmonization and globalisation of International Trade and Customs regulation across all EU jurisdictions by working with our colleagues internationally or with preferred law firms.
