SITPRO Limited
Encyclopedia
SITPRO Limited was a UK non-departmental public body
that was constituted as a limited company
and was focused on the removal of barriers to international trade through the simplification and harmonisation of trade procedures. Based in London
, SITPRO was dedicated to encouraging and helping business trade more effectively and to simplifying the international trading process. It was closed as part of government cut-backs in September 2010.
SITPRO was formerly the Simpler Trade Procedures Board, set up in 1970 as the UK's trade facilitation
agency. Reconstituted in April 2001 as a company limited by guarantee
, it was a British
non-departmental public body and the responsibility of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
from which it received funding. The chairman (who at the time of its closure was Norman Rose) was appointed by the Secretary of State
. Its other major stakeholder was HM Revenue & Customs
.
SITPRO served the UK trading community as a whole. Its mission was to use its unique status to improve the competitive position of UK traders, and its work was guided by its board and advisory groups. These advisory groups brought together experts from government, industry, trade (both exporters and importers), transport, banking and financial services. At any one time, there were about 100 executives and specialists taking part, and its ability to obtain this voluntary support and guidance was essential for both its research & development and its promotional roles.
SITPRO also offered a wide range of services to businesses, including advice, briefings, publications and checklists covering various international trading practices. It managed the UK Aligned System of Export Documents, and licensed the printers and software suppliers who sell the forms and export document software. The series contains nearly seventy standard commercial, transport, banking, insurance and official forms.
SITPRO was involved with a wide variety of trade facilitation
activities including:
In July 2010, it was announced that SITPRO would close within the next year, with responsibilities being assumed by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
and the organisation ceased operations in September 2010.
|Category:International trade
Non-departmental public body
In the United Kingdom, a non-departmental public body —often referred to as a quango—is a classification applied by the Cabinet Office, Treasury, Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive to certain types of public bodies...
that was constituted as a limited company
Limited company
A limited company is a company in which the liability of the members or subscribers of the company is limited to what they have invested or guaranteed to the company. Limited companies may be limited by shares or by guarantee. And the former of these, a limited company limited by shares, may be...
and was focused on the removal of barriers to international trade through the simplification and harmonisation of trade procedures. Based in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, SITPRO was dedicated to encouraging and helping business trade more effectively and to simplifying the international trading process. It was closed as part of government cut-backs in September 2010.
SITPRO was formerly the Simpler Trade Procedures Board, set up in 1970 as the UK's trade facilitation
Trade facilitation
Trade facilitation looks at how procedures and controls governing the movement of goods across national borders can be improved to reduce associated cost burdens and maximise efficiency while safeguarding legitimate regulatory objectives...
agency. Reconstituted in April 2001 as a company limited by guarantee
Company limited by guarantee
In British and Irish company law, a private company limited by guarantee is an alternative type of corporation used primarily for non-profit organisations that require legal personality. A guarantee company does not usually have a share capital or shareholders, but instead has members who act as...
, it was a British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
non-departmental public body and the responsibility of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is a ministerial department of the United Kingdom Government created on 5 June 2009 by the merger of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform .-Ministers:The BIS...
from which it received funding. The chairman (who at the time of its closure was Norman Rose) was appointed by the Secretary of State
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills is a cabinet position in the United Kingdom government. Its secondary title is the President of the Board of Trade...
. Its other major stakeholder was HM Revenue & Customs
Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs
Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs is a non-ministerial department of the UK Government responsible for the collection of taxes and the payment of some forms of state support....
.
SITPRO served the UK trading community as a whole. Its mission was to use its unique status to improve the competitive position of UK traders, and its work was guided by its board and advisory groups. These advisory groups brought together experts from government, industry, trade (both exporters and importers), transport, banking and financial services. At any one time, there were about 100 executives and specialists taking part, and its ability to obtain this voluntary support and guidance was essential for both its research & development and its promotional roles.
SITPRO also offered a wide range of services to businesses, including advice, briefings, publications and checklists covering various international trading practices. It managed the UK Aligned System of Export Documents, and licensed the printers and software suppliers who sell the forms and export document software. The series contains nearly seventy standard commercial, transport, banking, insurance and official forms.
SITPRO was involved with a wide variety of trade facilitation
Trade facilitation
Trade facilitation looks at how procedures and controls governing the movement of goods across national borders can be improved to reduce associated cost burdens and maximise efficiency while safeguarding legitimate regulatory objectives...
activities including:
- Work towards a trade facilitationTrade facilitationTrade facilitation looks at how procedures and controls governing the movement of goods across national borders can be improved to reduce associated cost burdens and maximise efficiency while safeguarding legitimate regulatory objectives...
agreement through the World Trade OrganizationWorld Trade OrganizationThe World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948... - Development of the UNeDocsUNeDocsUNeDocs is a future document standard for global electronic trade within UN/CEFACT....
electronic messaging standards at UN/CEFACTUN/CEFACTUN/CEFACT is an organisation that makes international EDI Electronic Data Interchange standards for electronic trade documents in XML format.- UN/CEFACT History, A UN mission to support trade:...
and the UK national implementation UNeDocsUK - Development of policy on supply chain securitySupply chain securitySupply chain security refers to efforts to enhance the security of the supply chain: the transport and logistics system for the world's cargo. It combines traditional practices of supply chain management with the security requirements of the system, which are driven by threats such as terrorism,...
- Development of the UK's International Trade Single WindowSingle Window SystemThe single-window system is a trade facilitation idea. As such, the implementation of a single window system enables international traders to submit regulatory documents at a single location and/or single entity...
In July 2010, it was announced that SITPRO would close within the next year, with responsibilities being assumed by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is a ministerial department of the United Kingdom Government created on 5 June 2009 by the merger of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform .-Ministers:The BIS...
and the organisation ceased operations in September 2010.
External links
|Category:International trade