The European Commission has announced that a first round of negotiations on an Association Agreement with Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia will take place in the capitals of the three South Caucasus countries in the coming week. The Agreements are based on joint commitments to a set of shared values and will cover a wide range of areas, including Political dialogue, Justice, freedom and security, as well as trade and cooperation in sectoral policies.
The European Commission has decided to repeal its decision accepting an undertaking from China regarding imports of certain castings from China, as it has determined that China has breached the terms of the agreement. Accordingly, the AD duties imposed by Article 1(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1212/2005 on imports of the product concerned produced by the subject companies will apply effective July 15, 2010.
Xinhaunet. com reports that more postal parcels arriving in China from other countries will be subject to an import tax from Sept 1, according to the latest customs regulation. Previously, when the import tax on a parcel was calculated as lower than 500 yuan, it was made exempt from fees. That minimum threshold will be dropped to 50 yuan, as stated on the website of the General Administration of Customs.The new rule is expected to hit overseas purchasers the hardest, since they buy products on other people's behalf and earn commission from the deals.
The Ministry for Economic Development of the Russian Federation has created a new website in English about Russian trade regulations, the customs union between Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus, trade events. etc.
The European Commission has issued a statement of extreme disappointment that the World Trade Organization panel examining the Boeing dispute (DS 353) is delaying its report. According to the EC, the time lag between this case, and the U.S. case against support to Airbus (DS 316) has constantly increased over the six years this dispute has been running, and the gap is now at nearly a year. It creates the wrong impression that Airbus has received some WTO incompatible support, whereas Boeing has not. Only when both panel reports have been issued will both sides have a more complete picture of the dispute.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology posts drafts and changes to foreign technical regulations for manufactured products which may be considered technical barriers to trade and are therefore required to be reported to the World Trade Organization, which distributes the information to WTO Member countries.
The World Trade Organization has posted a discussion forum and an article containing research and analysis regarding how the conservation of forestry is handled by WTO law, which states, among other things, that there needs to be a closer match between rules on natural resource conservation and the rules of international trade.
On June 17, 2010, Health Canada has approved amendments to its regulations that permit ascorbyl palmitate and tocopherols as Class IV preservatives in (1) infant formula, at a maximum level of use of 0.001% as consumed and (2) in oils used in infant formula, at levels consistent with good manufacturing practice.
The Canadian International Trade Tribunal will hold a public hearing on July 27, 2010 to consider A.M.A. Plastics Ltd. v. President of the Canada Border Services Agency, on whether blocks of rock wool, which are classified under tariff item No. 6806.10.90, are entitled to the benefit of tariff item No. 9903.00.00 as articles and materials which enter into the cost of manufacture or repair of, and are for use in agricultural or horticultural machines of heading No. 84.36.