The Commerce Department still does not have a timeline for releasing its next set of controls on emerging technologies and its advance notice of proposed rulemaking for foundational technologies, despite expectations from top officials that both would be published before 2020, a Bureau of Industry and Security official said. “I would have thought that they would be out earlier,” said Hillary Hess, director of BIS’s regulatory policy division, speaking during a Feb. 4 Sensors and Instrumentation Technical Advisory Committee meeting. “I think everybody would like to see them come out, but I’m not sure how long it’s going to take. I’m having trouble getting a bead on it myself.”

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

In the Jan. 31 - Feb. 3 editions of the Official Journal of the European Union the following trade-related notices were posted:

The United Kingdom’s Department for International Trade launched two digital tools to help companies trade with the U.K. during and after the Brexit transition period, according to a Feb. 3 notice. The U.K.’s “Trade with the UK” tool provides “detailed and up-to-date information” on tariffs, taxes and rules for businesses exporting goods into the U.K. The “Check How to Export Goods” tool provides U.K. exporters information on duties and customs procedures for more than 160 foreign markets. The country said the tools will help “existing businesses who are trading internationally and encourage new businesses to start.” Both tools will be updated “regularly” to reflect changes as the transition period progresses and as the U.K. departs the EU.

The United Kingdom’s Department for International Trade released a Feb. 3 collection on trading with the U.K. for overseas exporters. The collection includes links to information on U.K. import procedures, controls and restrictions, commodity rates, value-added tax measures, rules of origin procedures, and packaging and labeling. The collection also includes import requirements for agricultural, environmental and textile goods.

The United Kingdom’s Department for International Trade issued a notice Feb. 1 to World Trade Organization members about its withdrawal from the European Union. The notice clarified that the U.K. will continue to be a WTO member, details the U.K.’s continuity agreements and sets out “implications” of the U.K.’s exit from the EU. The U.K. said it is consulting with WTO members about a variety of trade topics, including tariff-rate quotas, its schedule of concessions and specific commitments in services and more. The country said it has “always been a strong supporter” of the WTO, looks forward to partnering with developing countries within the WTO to strengthen trade, is “committed” to meeting its WTO obligations in its “future trade regime,” and will make itself “available to answer any questions that Members might have.”

The European Commission said it has taken its “first step” to begin negotiations on trade, economic cooperation, foreign policy and more with the United Kingdom and will soon adopt a draft of “negotiating directives” to formally begin talks, according to a Feb. 3 press release. In a statement, EC President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU wants to quickly reach a deal but the commission will “defend EU interests, and the interests of our citizens, right until the end.” Michel Barnier, the EC's chief negotiator, said the EU will try “to find solutions that respect the UK's choices.”

The government of Canada issued the following trade-related notices as of Feb. 3 (note that some may also be given separate headlines):

All Canada-European Union agreements will continue to apply to the United Kingdom through the Brexit transition period, Global Affairs Canada said in a news release. “This includes the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) -- which means that trade between Canada and the U.K. will continue to benefit from duty-free access on 98% of products, and businesses should see no change in how they trade with the U.K. during this transition period,” it said. The Brexit transition period will last until at least Dec. 31.

Uzbekistan recently implemented new value-added tax rules relating to e-services, according to a Jan. 31 KPMG post. The rules will impose certain VAT requirements on foreign suppliers of e-services to customers in Uzbekistan, KPMG said. The suppliers will also be subject to rules on VAT payment remittances.