ICC prepares to launch Incoterms® 2020
The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) is preparing for the publication of Incoterms® 2020, an update of the renowned regulations that define the responsibilities of buyers and sellers operating in the international trade system.
The Incoterms® rules and ICC
Facilitating trillions of dollars in global trade each year, the “international commercial terms,” or Incoterms® rules, are a commonly accepted set of definitions and rules governing commercial trade activity.
Following a series of studies conducted in the 1920s, ICC discovered discrepancies in the interpretation of commercial trade terms used by traders from different countries. Based on these findings, ICC concluded that there was a need for the creation of a common protocol for importers and exporters everywhere. The first set of Incoterms® rules was published by ICC in 1936. Since then, ICC has periodically revised the Incoterms® rules to reflect changes in the international trade system.
Incoterms® 2010 (see Incoterms 2010 Table) is the most current version of the rules to date. This latest edition of the Incoterms® rules included an increased obligation for buyer and seller to cooperate on information sharing and changes to accommodate “string sales.” For the past decade, Incoterms® 2010 has provided critical guidance to importers, exporters, lawyers, transporters and insurers across the world.
In its Centenary year, ICC is preparing for the official release of Incoterms® 2020 later this year.
ICC’s Incoterms® rules are the world’s essential terms of trade for the sale of goods. Whether you are filing a purchase order, packaging and labelling a shipment for freight transport, or preparing a certificate of origin at a port, the Incoterms® rules are there to guide you. The Incoterms® rules provide specific guidance to individuals participating in the import and export of global trade on a daily basis.
The development of Incoterms® 2020 has seen extensive consultation among economists, lawyers and trade experts, as well as insight from ICC’s global network of national committees.
The participating national committees, as well as ICC’s Knowledge Solutions Department, have provided substantial contributions to the new Incoterms® rules, and the final draft to receive approval by the ICC Executive Board, which will be published in 2020.
You can keep up to date with the latest information on the ICC dedicated site: Incoterms® 2020 web page.
We will continue to update our website as further information & updates come to hand.
FYI – The Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry has announced its national roll-out of workshops in September to address the new set of international trade rules in the Incoterms® 2020 by the International Chamber of Commerce.
More information can be found on the Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry website
Should you require any further information or details, please do not hesitate to e-mail or call us for assistance – e-mail: cs@salglobal.com.au or TEL: 1300 814 743.
