The World Trade Organization has posted a description by Canada of its import licensing procedures. In the overview, Canada states that import licenses are required for goods subject to certain quantitative restrictions; for textiles and apparel goods for which a tariff preference level is sought under NAFTA; or international commitments (e.g. narcotics and endangered species of fauna and flora). (May have to open source document twice for proper viewing.)
The World Customs Organization and the World Bank announced that they have reached agreement in principle to launch a new $3.1 million capacity building initiative designed to provide greater access to some of the WCO’s key capacity building programs for Customs officials in Africa. The project will be implemented over three years and will be known as the WCO/World Bank Customs Capacity Enhancement Project for Sub-Saharan Africa (CCEP-SSA).
Immigration and Customs Enforcement reports that eighty-six countries joined representatives of the World Customs Organization (WCO), the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to discuss an international effort to counter the illicit diversion and trafficking of precursor chemicals that may be used by terrorists and other criminal organizations to manufacture explosive devices.
The European Commission announced on October 19, 2010 that it will propose a temporary suspension of animal cloning for food production in the EU. The EC also plans to suspend temporarily the use of cloned farm animals and the marketing of food from clones. The establishment of a traceability system for imports of reproductive materials for clones, such as semen and embryos of clones is also envisaged.
China State news agency Xinhaunet states that China-Africa trade volume set to hit new record high this year, exceeding the record high of 106.8 billion U.S. dollars attained in 2008, according to a report released October 14, 2010 by a research institute under the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOC).
China's Ministry of Commerce reports that China's top legislature will discuss the draft law on vehicle and vessel taxation for the first time at a bimonthly session scheduled from Oct. 25 to 28. A State Council executive meeting passed the draft law on Tuesday and decided to submit it for lawmakers to discuss. Lawmakers will discuss the reports from the Supreme People's Procuratorate on improving their work against graft and rights infringement.
GOV.cn reports that CPC Central Committee is beginning its session to determine the next five-year development plan. It will be a time of deepening the reform and opening-up process while accelerating the transformation of the nation's economic development pattern, said the announcement. "China's export-driven economic growth is unsustainable," said Justin Yifu Lin, World Bank Chief Economist and Senior Vice President.
The first Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Ministerial meeting on Food Security was held in Nigata, Japan on October 16-17, 2010. Meeting participants adopted the Nigata Declaration on APEC Food Security and an Action Plan, which has food safety components and some trade aspects. Action Plan available here.
Yao Jian, spokesman for China's Ministry of Commerce said on October 15, 2010 that China's restrictions on rare earth exploration, production and export are consistent with international regulations and domestic law.
Mexico's Diario Oficial of October 18, 2010 lists notices from the Secretary of the Economy as follows: