The U.S. needs a clearer strategy for leading 5G and artificial intelligence standards-setting to counter China’s growing tech leadership, technology experts said. The Trump administration should define a strategy and work with allies to set global standards, the experts said, or risk forcing its companies out of global markets because of restrictions placed on China.

Plans to finalize a reorganization of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations have been put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, said Mike Miller, the State Department’s deputy assistant secretary for defense trade. The reorganization -- which involves moving definitions and consolidating exemptions within the ITAR (see 1907120011) -- has been “de-emphasized as a priority,” Miller said during a May 8 conference call hosted by the Society for International Affairs. “In the current environment, with all the disruption and the difficulties everyone is facing, a rollout of that at this time would not be timely.”

The government of Canada issued the following trade-related notices as of May 8 (note that some may also be given separate headlines):

The U.S. said that it's resolved the Boeing subsidy dispute at the World Trade Organization (see 2005060052), and a spokesman for the European Union said May 7 that the EU doesn't agree. “While the EU is still examining the impact of the legislative action concerning the Washington State [business and operations] tax, the EU notes that the rulings in this dispute cover a number of additional measures where the US remains non-compliant (including NASA and Department of Defense Research and Development measures and certain State and local measures),” the spokesman said. He said that the EU is ready to continue discussions with the U.S. to negotiate a balanced solution that would resolve both the Airbus and Boeing subsidy cases.

The World Customs Organization issued the following release on commercial trade and related matters:​​

The European Commission published a list of measures to strengthen the European Union’s effort to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. The commission’s goal is to “shut down any remaining loopholes and remove any weak links in the EU's rules,” according to a May 7 notice, which includes a “methodology” to help countries identify “high-risk third countries” and a list of countries with “strategic deficiencies in their anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing frameworks.”

The European Union recently postponed certain regulations on medical devices for one year to prevent certification delays during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a May 7 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The regulations, which were scheduled to take effect May 26, are aimed at increasing the quality of medical devices distributed throughout the EU and would emphasize “better traceability of devices throughout the supply chain,” the report said. The measures will now take effect May 26, 2021.

Thailand’s ban on paraquat and chlorpyrifos will take effect June 1, restricting imports of food products containing either of those chemicals, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service report released May 4. The USDA said it expects a “zero-tolerance” approach by Thailand toward goods with residues of those chemicals, adding that shipments of U.S. bulk commodities, specifically soybeans and wheat, will be impacted.

Singapore recently revised its procedures for U.S. beef and offal suppliers to export to Singapore, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service report released May 5. The revisions, which were intended to “streamline trade” and protect domestic food security, USDA said that the Singapore Food Agency reported, will allow U.S. suppliers to skip the registration and approval process with the SFA if they already participate in Singapore’s Agricultural Marketing Service’s export verification program. Previously, exporters were required to go through an “onerous registration and approval process for each product,” the report said.

Myanmar recently announced an aid package to help industry mitigate the impacts of the COVID-10 pandemic, according to a May 7 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The measures include a waiver for a 2% withholding tax on exports, a reduced “Specific Goods Tax” on medical supplies and the elimination of customs duties on medical imports. The country is also allocating $100 billion for trade financing for domestically produced goods and will prioritize “mobile payment platforms” to encourage online trade.