INTERNATIONAL TRADE & STRUCTURING
Traditionally only relatively large multinational corporations would engage in significant international trade and operations. Since around the year 2000 and the expansion of “globalisation” and online commerce, even the smallest of businesses now engage in international trade. The Covid pandemic has also taught us that online commerce has been able to not only compete with bricks and mortar retail but has in fact eclipsed it. Online commerce has no effective national borders.
Every business involved in the supply of goods or services needs to consider whether it is appropriate and viable for an international aspect to be included in its processes.
In relation to e-commerce operations for example, business owners need to take into account several critical issues:
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What is the correct law to be applied to the terms of their contracts (ie which country’s laws apply)?
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Does the Hague Convention apply and are the customers and suppliers associated with the business located in a country that is bound by that convention or any other international treaty which may affect the terms of trade between the business and its customers?
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Is the business restricted in terms of where it can be located, or does it have the freedom of being able to be based out of any country in the world?
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Are there aspects of the business that can be separated off into a separate business or subsidiary that can or should be based offshore?
Our firm has extensive experience in relation to the creation, setup, operation, transformation, and management of local businesses to international businesses both large and small.
We have international professional associations and relationships with offshore law firms, and bankers that result in a seamless and complete suite of services to cater for our client’s requirements.
