China’s Foreign Ministry this week criticized Canada’s decision to impose a 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicle imports (see 2408260033), saying the measure “ignores facts” and “disrespects” World Trade Organization rules. “This typical protectionist move disrupts China-Canada trade relations, harms the interests of Canadian companies and consumers, and does little good to Canada’s green transition process and global effort for climate response,” a ministry spokesperson said during an Aug. 27 press conference in response to a question from a wire service reporter. “China will take all measures necessary to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.”
Nearly $43 million worth of electronics equipment bound for the U.S. from India has been detained under Uyghur Force Labor Prevention Act since last October, according to CBP data, Reuters said in an Aug. 27 report. CBP's data doesn't parse out the types of goods within each category that were detained, but solar panels may have constituted the majority of the detained electronics equipment, the report quoted sources as saying.
The Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) has ordered the two major Canadian freight railways and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) to undergo binding arbitration over a new labor agreement that would replace the old one that expired in December 2023. A meeting of parties is to take place later this week.
Canada will soon impose a 100% import tariff on all Chinese-made electric vehicles and a 25% tariff on certain Chinese steel and aluminum products, moves that will protect its auto industry from what it said are Beijing’s “unfair, non-market policies and practices.”
Just as it seemed there would be a resolution to the work stoppage involving two major Canadian freight railroads and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) late Aug. 22, union members were saying as of our press time the next day that they weren't yet ready to return to work, continuing the uncertainty over when the work stoppage will officially end.
China’s recently announced export restrictions on antimony (see 2408150022) are expected to cause supplies of the critical mineral to tighten and prices to rise sharply, the Center for Strategic and International Studies said Aug. 20.
Most EU member states missed a July deadline to implement the EU’s new corporate sustainability reporting rules into national law, causing uncertainty for businesses that want to ready their compliance procedures before the rules take effect beginning next year, a major European law firm said.
Major freight railroad Canadian National Railway Co. (CN) said over the weekend that it would lock out members of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) if CN and the union haven't been able to hash out a new labor contract or agree to binding arbitration.
China soon will impose new export controls on a set of key critical minerals, including antimony, and technology used to process those minerals, the country’s commerce ministry said Aug. 15, according to an unofficial translation. Antimony can be used in the production of certain batteries, weapons and more. The minerals and technology “have a significant impact on national security,” China said, and exports will need a license before they can be shipped abroad. The controls take effect Sept. 15.
New EU guidance released this week offers insight into how the bloc will implement its sweeping new corporate sustainability due diligence rules, including how member states should decide whether traders do enough to collect required supply chain information.