The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization have issued their annual Agricultural Outlook for the period 2010-2019. Among other things, the report concludes that farm commodity prices have fallen from their record peaks of two years ago but are unlikely to drop back to their average levels of the past decade.
The European Commission has posted information on the CE mark, which is placed on certain products to indicate that a product is in compliance with all relevant EU legislation, making it eligible to be marketed and sold throughout the EU. Among other things, the EC explains that the CE mark only applies to approximately 23 product categories, such as toys, electrical products, machinery, personal protective equipment and lifts.
The WTO, OECD and UNCTAD, in a joint report on G20 trade and investment measures released on June 14, 2010, noted the imposition of fewer trade restrictions but warned “they are accumulating”. In a separate report to WTO members on trade-related developments, Director-General Lamy confirmed this trend but urged governments to remain “vigilant” and to give priority to “exiting current restricting measures.”
China's government has opened a new range of government-run industries to the private sector, either through investment in existing companies or establishment of new firms. Water projects, power generation, mining, and logistics -- currently mainly state controlled -- would be opened. The government also announced on June 10, 2010 that it would improve financing services and simplify administrative procedures for private sector involvement in those industries.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations has issued an "in-principal" endorsement of the ASEAN Customs Transit System (ACTS), an automated system of Customs departments and agencies in ASEAN Member States for monitoring the movement of goods in transit from a Member State through intermediary countries to its final destination. ACTS is intended to facilitate legitimate trade and protect the international supply chain.
The World Trade Organization has launched a new analytical tool ,the Air Services Agreement Projector, which displays the characteristics of air transport agreements in terms of relative openness and aviation traffic.
In the June 15, 2010 edition of the Official Journal of the European Union, the following trade-related notices were posted:
Canada's Minister of the Environment and Minister of Health intend to recommend to the Governor in Council that mercury compounds be added to the List of Toxic Substances in Schedule 1 to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999. Comments are due within 60 days of June 12, 2010.
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.
China's exports surged by 48.5% year on year in May, while the imports climbed 48.3%, the General Administration of Customs announced on June 10, 2010. Gov.cn also reports that the growth rate for exports was 18.1 percentage points up from the figure for April, and the import growth rate dipped slightly from 49.7% reported in April.