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Trending News:Case study: Hilco provides first loan in Republic of IrelandCase study: BLEND provides £3.6 million funding for new build development in BerkshireCase study: Pivot Finance completes £3m bridge on prime PBSA development in SouthamptonCase study: Shawbrook completes unique £18.5m facility for diverse commercial portfolioCase study: STB completes £12.9m refinance loan on 18 luxury apartments in W1Case study: LHV completes £14m bespoke BTL funding package for private family officeCase study: InterBay completes £15m loan on PBSA developmentCase study: Aspen completes complex £2.8m portfolio bridge for foreign nationalCase study: UTB completes £4m commercial bridge on a multi-let industrial unit in BrentfordCase study: Arc & Co. completes £26m bridge on property in KnightsbridgeCase study: HTB completes £7m bridge for multi-unit portfolio acquisitionCase study: Shawbrook completes bespoke £29.6m deal on residential project in MediaCityCase study: Inspired Lending completes £400k facility for commercial refurbishment project in DevonCase study: BML completes £20m BTL funding on prime central London property portfolioCase study: Paragon completes £32m funding on PBSA development in CambridgeCase study: Aspen goes the extra mile(s) to complete five-day bridge in WokinghamCase study: Alternative Bridging completes £1.2m loan on semi-commercial property in South LondonCase study: HTB partner with Enness Global to complete £11.5m refinance for converted office building in West LondonCase study: Arc & Co. secures £10m development loan for residential scheme in DerbyshireLHV Bank completes £7m commercial loan for Manchester city centre officeCase study: HTB beats Christmas deadline to complete £3.3m development exit facilityCase study: Investec completes £11.5m development loan for super-prime residential Wentworth Estate propertyCase study: Inspired Lending completes £1.07m facility for MUFB purchase and refurbishment in CornwallCase study: Mera completes £11m bridging facility on residential property in Holland ParkCase study: Arc & Co. completes complex €11.1m French bridging dealCase study: Paragon completes £3.3m finance package for housing development in YorkCase study: UTB and Iron Bridge Finance team up to fund £10m South London developmentASG Finance completes £1.7M bespoke commercial bridge for 18th-century River Thames propertyAtom bank completes £6.25m commercial refinance for central London hotel chainHTB completes £3.93m development finance loan for commercial project in DarlingtonWhile funding remains a key topic, the retrofit conversation has evolvedRetrofit in 2025: from “How are we going to do this?” to “How can we make it business as usual?”Green belts & new infrastructure: predictions for homebuilding in 2025Case study: Sirius Finance completes £8m revolving credit facility on commercial portfolioCase study: Arc & Co. completes £3.85m funding package for a pre-existing site in ActonCase study: STB completes £10.5m loan to fund large HMO portfolioCase study: Hampshire Trust Bank & specialist broker complete £16.8m BTL funding for Midlands portfolioCase study: Avamore Capital completes £1.1m development loan for Gloucestershire housing projectCase study: Aspen completes £1.14m no valuation bridge on 10-bed ‘party house’ in North DevonCase study: Norton Broker Services completes £342,000 re-bridge loan for joint renovation projectCase study: STB completes £2.3m refinance loan on 8 premium student homes in LiverpoolCase study: StreamBank completes £225K bridging loan in just 15 working daysCase study: LHV Bank completes £7.4m refinancing for Essex shopping paradeCase study: Aspen saves residential project in six weeks with £1.4M loanCase study: Avamore Capital completes £3.6m development loan for nine flats in SuttonCase study: HTB completes £10.92m funding for Stoke-on-Trent PBSA developmentCase study: Hilco provides £21.3m development exit loan to family-owned London property developerCase study: BLEND provides £2.7m senior debt facility for new build housing development in West SussexCase study: HTB completes £12.8m bespoke refinance package on 65 rental units in BournemouthCase study: Cumberland BS partners with Enness Global on £1.1m high-end holiday let projectCase study: Arc & Co. and Quantum team up to complete £4.7m development loan for Cambridgeshire housing projectCase study: Hampshire Trust Bank completes £7.24m loan for redevelopment in Elephant and CastleCase study: Hilco completes £17m bridge to release equity in luxury apartment and commercial developmentCase study: Secure Trust Bank completes £13.7m loan on BTR development in EdinburghCase study: Aspen completes £7.8m bridge for super-prime purchase in KensingtonCase study: HTB completes a trio of development loans totalling £19.7m in three daysCase study: InterBay completes £54.5m refinance deal on ESG accredited officesCase study: MSC completes £27.5m commercial refinance bridgeCase study: Karis Capital completes £4.7m refinance on 28 property BTL portfolioCase study: Hilco completes £6.7m bridge for North East property developerCase study: Shawbrook completes £2.9m development exit loan for holiday home project in AngleseyCase study: Shawbrook provides £23.8m development loan for co-living scheme in CardiffCase study: Inspired Lending completes £844k loan for mixed-use development in BristolCase study: Arc & Co. completes £4.7m development loan for award-nominated project in MacclesfieldCase study: SPF completes £26.8m development loan for YASA’s new headquartersCase study: Aspen completes £3m Bridge-to-Let in under one monthCase study: BLEND completes £3.4m funding for new build development in CornwallCase study: Norton Broker Services completes complex mid-conversion bridge for residential developmentCase study: HTB completes 43-property portfolio refinance in five daysCase study: TAB converts bridging loan into long-term mortgage for £1.8m office building in WakefieldCase study: Inspired Lending and Life Financial Solutions complete £934k loan for residential development in KentCase study: Hilco completes £5.3m bridge for Manchester property developerCase study: TML completes complex self-employed case with large loans dealCase study: Word On The Street completes £8m BTL portfolio refinanceCase study: RAW Capital Partners completes BTL mortgage in four-daysCase study: Mortimer Street Capital completes £1.4m care home purchase via dual bridging facilityCase study: Aspen completes £1.13m Development Exit loan in 14 daysCase study: Paragon provides £25m development funding for housing scheme in EssexCase study: Hilco completes £4.5m development exit loan against Wimborne residential propertiesCase study: Aspen completes £6.95m light-development loan for super-prime Kensington projectDetective reported journalist’s lawyers to regulator in ‘unlawful’ PSNI surveillance caseUnmasked: The Evil Corp cyber gangster who worked for LockBitHow to make the CMO your best 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The UK and 90 other countries have reached the first ever global digital trade agreement, after five years of negotiations at the World Trade Organization (WTO), which aims to facilitate cross-border electronic transactions and reduce barriers to digital trade.
Known as the E-Commerce Agreement, the deal sets global ground rules on digital trade for WTO members, committing countries to digitising their customs processes and systems so that physical documents will no longer be required at border entry points.
The signatories to the agreement have also committed to recognising e-documents and e-signatures, which is expected to save time and reduce costs for businesses by eliminating the need for physical signatures or the physical exchange of documents.
The agreement also includes provisions to improve trust in the digital trade environment by strengthening consumer protection online, facilitate closer international collaboration on cyber security risks, and provide technical support and capacity building to developing countries.
It will also permanently ban customs duties on digital content and electronic transmissions among the signatories.
According to a UK government analysis, the adoption of digital trading systems could increase the UK’s GDP by between £2.7bn and £24.2bn, based on GDP figures for 2023.
“We are proud to play our part in securing the first ever global digital trade agreement, cutting costs for business and delivering on this government’s ambition to deliver economic growth,” said business and trade secretary Jonathan Reynolds.
“Global digital trade is already estimated by the OECD [Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development] to be worth around £4tn and counting, but no common set of global rules exist. This is a huge step forward in correcting that and ensuring British businesses feel the benefit.”
The UK government in particular highlighted the benefits of the agreement to financial services providers, noting that doing business in any of the participating countries would require fewer paper documents and time-consuming manual authentication processes.
Given the rapid pace of technological development, the agreement will be periodically reviewed to keep it up to date and relevant. Further deliberations on issues including international data flows and intellectual property of software or encryption technology will take place in a further phase of the negotiations.
Chris Southworth, the secretary general at International Chambers of Commerce (ICC) UK, described the agreement as “a major breakthrough” for international digital trade. “It creates the environment we need to drive innovation as we transition away from archaic paper-based processes and into the modern world of data and technology,” he said.
This is good news for business, consumers and the economy Chris Southworth, ICC UK
“It is an opportunity to accelerate efforts to digitalise our borders and global supply chains, and help to remove unnecessary friction and costs that prevent SMEs from trading. This is good news for business, consumers and the economy.”
WTO partners will now work to incorporate the agreement into the WTO legal framework, after which countries will look to ratify the agreement.
Valdis Dombrovskis, executive vice-president and commissioner for trade at the European Commission, said that once the rules are integrated into the WTO framework, they will be fundamental for the development of global digital trade by helping to set a common ground and avoid fragmentation.
“This agreement will benefit businesses and consumers, contribute to integrating developing and least developed countries in the global digital economy, and help bridge the digital divide,” he said. “The EU sees great value in the agreement published today, and will work with all involved parties towards its incorporation into the WTO framework. We call on all WTO members to do the same.”
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