The International Plant Protection Convention states that the first meeting on standardizing electronic phytocertificates (Phyto eCerts) is tentatively scheduled to be held in New Zealand in early 2011. While some countries have made considerable progress on Phyto eCerts, IPPC states that a common understanding is lacking. The meeting will aim to have an international standardized approach that could be implemented on a bilateral basis.

Xinhuanet.com reports that according to a circular issued by China's Ministry of Finance, Chinese domestic manufacturers of items of large technical equipment have been exempted from customs duties and import value-added tax for the necessary import of crucial equipment parts and raw materials since June 1. The exemption applies to producers of certain technical equipment for environmental protection and resource utilization, emergency diesel generator sets, automatic luggage sorting systems used in airports, and heavy die forging hydropresses.

The Government of Canada issued the following releases on October 28, 2010:

In the October 27, 2010 edition of the Official Journal of the European Union, the following trade-related notices were posted:

The Government of Canada issued the following releases on October 27, 2010:

In the October 26, 2010 edition of the Official Journal of the European Union, the following trade-related notices were posted:

India's Department of Commerce has issued a press release on the Hassan Special Economic Zone (SEZ), which has been specially delineated as a "duty-free enclave with the objective of being deemed to be a foreign territory for the purpose of trade operations." The release describes the Hassan SEZ's export units in textiles, food processing, and pharmaceuticals. India says that in four years, approvals have been granted for setting up 577 SEZs.

On October 26, 2010, five international textile and apparel associations sent a letter to the the governments of the European Union, Mexico, Turkey and the U.S. to take action against India if it continues to restrict the export of cotton. The groups cite an illegal pattern of export restraints on cotton that the Indian government has imposed since April 2010, which they state have contributed to the nearly 100% increase in the price of cotton since April.

In the October 2010 version of “WCO News,” the World Customs Organization discussed a new anti-counterfeiting tool for Customs administrations; inclusion of the remaining “10+2” data elements into the WCO SAFE Framework of Standards; benefits of the European Union’s Authorized Economic Operator; etc.

The Government of Canada issued the following releases on October 25, 2010: