The Chemical Business Association (CBA), the voice of the chemical supply chain, is pleased to announce it is a member of the newly formed Critical Imports Council, an initiative launched by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) that aims to safeguard the flow of vital goods into the UK.
The Council, which first convened on April 17 2024, has brought together 23 expert industry voices from leading UK businesses and associations, including the CBA’s CEO, Tim Doggett.
Alongside Government, the Council will meet on a quarterly basis to advise on cross-border trade and help facilitate resilient, sustainable supply chains for critical goods – including chemicals – and other items essential to the UK’s economic prosperity, national security, and essential services.
The DBT is also set to create a new online portal where businesses can report key supply chain problems, allowing for effective response times to issues.
The initiative comes as a response to recent supply chain disruptions that have posed a significant threat to the reliable flow of critical goods to the UK, including the attacks in the Red Sea, the COVID-19 pandemic, Brexit, and the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The Council builds on the Government’s unprecedented Critical Imports and Supply Chains strategy launched in January 2024, and will allow the effective, collaborative implementation of the strategy’s 18 actions, further ensuring businesses have a central voice in supply chain policy and reliability for both businesses and the end consumer.
Business and Trade Minister and Chair of the Critical Imports Council, Alan Mak said: “It has never been more important to strengthen our supply chains and make sure vital goods can continue reaching consumers, in the face of the pandemic, the Red Sea attacks and many other crises around the world.”
He continues, “That’s why we’re now going even further to strengthen our critical goods supplies with the launch of this new Council, which will bring together government and industry experts to help protect businesses from supply chain shocks now and in the future.”
CBA CEO, and Critical Imports Council member Tim Doggett said: “As the voice of the chemical supply chain, the CBA routinely carries out vital work to ensure the health and sustainability of our supply chains. We understand the value of expert collaboration regarding such serious matters, and I am delighted to join peers in this proactive approach to protecting and preserving the UK’s economic prosperity, national security and essential services.”
