The European Commission published its regulation amending the European Union's Generalized System of Preferences in the November 23, 2010 edition of the Official Journal of the European Union. The EC previously stated that the regulation would relax and simplify rules and procedures for developing countries wishing to access GSP preferences, among other changes. The new rules will apply effective January 1, 2011. (See ITT's Online Archives or 11/22/10 news, 10112205, for previouse BP summary.)

The European Commission has appointed Angelos Pangratis as the new Head of European Union Delegation to the World Trade Organization in Geneva. Mr. Pangratis is currently Deputy Head of the EU Delegation in Washington.

A senior Ministry of Commerce (MOC) official from China recently reiterated that China will provide fair treatment to all firms - both foreign-funded and domestic - in developing its green economy. The Chinese government will continue to stick to the mutually beneficial opening-up policy and ensure fair competition for foreign-funded firms' investments in China.

The World Customs Organization reports that the heads of five major international agencies have met to seal an alliance to fight wildlife crime effectively and discuss collective actions to stop the key drivers that are bringing tigers to the brink of extinction: poaching, smuggling and illegal trade.

European Council President Van Rompuy, U.S. President Obama, and European Commission President Barroso have issued a joint statement from the November 20, 2010 EU-U.S. Summit in Portugal. The three stated that the most effective way to tap the potential of transatlantic commerce is to promote innovation, streamline regulation, and eliminate barriers to trade and investment. They also stated they would direct their negotiators to work towards bringing the WTO Doha Development round to a balanced and ambitious conclusion.

In the November 20, 2010 edition of the Official Journal of the European Union, the following trade-related notices were posted:

The World Trade Organization Agriculture Committee heard serious concerns expressed in a recent meeting about the growing number of members reporting that their domestic support for farmers has exceeded limits committed in the WTO. In another meeting whose focus was partly on food security, several members also expressed concern about Ukraine and other countries restricting exports.

On November 22, 2010, the European Commission adopted a new set of actions to tackle the most urgent security threats facing Europe. One of the goals is to strengthen security through better border management. This is to include the establishment of European external border surveillance system called EUROSUR; better analysis to identify 'hot spots' at the external borders; and joint reports on human trafficking, human smuggling and smuggling of illicit goods as a basis for joint operations.

In a November 19, 2010 speech to the 17th Special Meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, the Secretary-General of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) stated that his organization could implement trade-related measures to help the ICCAT manage the recovery plans for the Atlantic bluefin tuna -- as well as more effective management measures for the Oceanic white tip and porbeagle sharks.

Mexico's Diario Oficial of November 22, 2010 lists notices from the Secretary of the Economy as follows: