Global Scans · Standards · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Improving standards are likely to be driven more by business and technological improvement than governments in the future. The latter will be under severe pressure to cut bureaucracy, speed policy making and improve their nation's productivity performance.

• [New] Regulatory bodies like ICAO and IATA are working towards implementing global standards for lithium battery transport that will be adopted by all airlines. Travel And Tour World
• [New] By 2025 and looking toward 2026 and beyond, the Carlin mine sets new industry standards in gold extraction, environmental stewardship, and digital transformation, underpinned by substantial investment in advanced mining technologies. Farmonaut
• [New] By 2027, more than 100 green and low-carbon standards will be revised or newly formulated, gradually establishing a comprehensive standard system for green and low-carbon development in the industrial and IT sectors. Enviliacne ASIA
• [New] New U.S. Department of Commerce rules are projected to impact major equipment suppliers like Applied Materials, signaling ongoing disruption and the need for greater geographical diversification. FinancialContent
• [New] Battery storage projects face risk from new Foreign Entity of Concern rules, which could disqualify projects with significant exposure to Chinese supply chains. WoodMac.Site.Features.Shared.ViewModels.Metadata.Publis
• [New] Beginning in 2026, new federal rules will significantly alter how donors can claim charitable deductions. NPTrust
• [New] Higher tariffs will not only push up retail prices across Europe but also force brands to shift sourcing elsewhere, even as sustainability standards tighten. Global Policy Journal
• [New] China has accused the US of double standards after it threatened to impose a 100% tariff on Chinese goods following last week's rare earth curbs by Beijing. Al Jazeera
• [New] Brussels has not yet definitively closed the terms of the stop on the sale of thermal engines to 2035, while as things stand, European rules favour pure electric and do not play in favour of plug-ins. Il Sole 24 ORE
• [New] Globally, 1.1 billion people are living in multidimensional poverty - which spans health, education and living standards - and 887 million are directly exposed to at least one climate hazard. UN News
• [New] The U.S. government is scrambling to deploy quantum-resistant encryption before Q-Day - the moment when quantum computers become powerful enough to break current encryption standards, threatening everything from bank transactions to national security. Insights
• The push to incorporate AI widely could similarly result in products and services - and, with them, norms and standards - that impact not only China but also the rest of the world for years to come. Merics
• MNCs that align with green trade practices and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) standards will likely dominate global commerce. TradingView
• The Integrity Council's certification process and the UN's Article 6 rules are expected to shape the next decade of carbon trading. Carbon Credits
• Adopted in 2025, phased in through 2034, the EHDS Regulation mandates standards for electronic health records and controlled secondary use of data. Mondaq
• By 2025, AI will allow brands to deliver customized experiences based on not only customer data but also real-time factors like location and behaviour. Medium
• As a founding member of the Agentic Commerce Alliance, ChannelEngine is helping shape the standards that will define the next era of AI-driven commerce. ChannelEngine
• The pushback from the Trump administration, threatening tariffs and sanctions against European enforcement of digital rules, reflects an adversarial stance that reinforces Europe's resolve for sovereign digital governance. Kevin Korte - AI and Cybersecurity for the Boardroom
• The Financial Conduct Authority will reverse its stance on allowing crypto ETNs to be sold to retail investors. Morningstar, Inc.
• While the European Commission is the sole enforcer of the DMA across the EU, concerns have been raised over the risk of member states targeting companies with their own national competition rules in parallel. Pinsent Masons
• SMS-designated companies will face tailored conduct requirements drawn up by the CMA in respect of their digital activity in the UK. Pinsent Masons

Last updated: 23 October 2025