The government of Canada recently issued the following trade-related notices as of April 2 (note that some may also be given separate headlines):

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is providing a translation of China’s food safety standard for fresh and frozen livestock and poultry products, in a Global Agricultural Information Network report posted April 1. “The Standard applies to fresh and frozen livestock and poultry products, but does not apply to ready-to-eat raw meat products,” USDA said. China’s National Food Safety Standard for Fresh and Frozen Livestock and Poultry Products was implemented in June 2017, replacing previous standards issued in 2005.

The Trump administration is considering increasing sanctions pressure on Venezuela by imposing sanctions on companies from third countries that do business with President Nicolas Maduro and the Venezuelan regime, according to a March 29 report by Reuters. The potential move was announced by John Bolton, White House national security adviser, who told Reuters the administration is moving in the “direction” of secondary sanctions.

Export Compliance Daily is providing readers with some of the top stories for March 25-29 in case they were missed.

The U.S. continues to pursue “vigorous engagement” with China to “increase the benefits” that U.S. businesses, service providers and consumers “derive from trade and economic ties” with the Chinese, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said in its annual report on global foreign trade barriers (see 1904010045). China’s trade practices “in several specific areas,” especially forced technology transfer and the Made in China 2025 industrial program, continue to “cause particular concern” for U.S. “stakeholders,” USTR said.

The European Union on March 29 published a new, overhauled version of its regulations on mutual recognition of goods. Under EU rules, any good lawfully marketed in one member state may be marketed in all other member states, and can’t be denied entry for not meeting regulatory requirements except in certain special cases. The new regulation clarifies the application of the rule, specifying that it also applies to agricultural and fisheries products. It also sets requirements for an optional “mutual recognition declaration” that may be used to demonstrate to an EU member state government that a product is already legally marketed elsewhere in the EU and must be allowed to be marketed in that EU member state. Also, among other things, the regulation sets requirements for each EU member state to have “Product Contact Points” that may be contacted by industry to get information on regulations and technical standards in any EU member state. The regulation is effective April 19, 2020.

Recent editions of Mexico's Diario Oficial list trade-related notices as follows:

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency recently posted new guidance for importers declaring CFIA-regulated goods as Canadian goods returning. A paper declaration must be made to the Canada Border Services Agency for Canadian tariff codes 9813 or 9814, while all other declarations “for CFIA regulated goods returning to Canada can be submitted electronically,” CFIA said. The three main items that must be included on import declaration for Canadian goods returning are the country of origin (Canada), the country the product is being exported from, and the Automated Import Reference System (AIRS) end use, CFIA said.

Canada is implementing new import restrictions on certain commodities used in animal feed, including unprocessed and raw grains and oilseeds and associated meals, when imported from a list of countries that have had cases of African Swine Fever in the past five years. According to a Canadian Food Inspection Agency notice posted by the Animal Nutrition Association of Canada, the restrictions apply to all goods of Chapter 11 of the Canadian tariff schedule, and some goods of Chapters 10, 12 and 23, imported through the ports of Vancouver, Prince Rupert, Toronto, Montreal, Quebec and Halifax. Such imports, when imported from any of the 43 countries named as having a recent case of ASF, must be accompanied by an import permit from CFIA and a producer questionnaire. The U.S. is not one of the countries on the list.

India again delayed retaliatory tariffs on goods imported from the U.S., pushing the new start to May 2, according to a notice from India’s Ministry of Finance. The tariffs, first announced in May 2018 and most recently delayed until April 1, 2019, will target agricultural products, motorcycles, steel products, and phosphoric and boric acid, and are aimed at offsetting the $241 million in duties India expects its U.S. customers to pay on its steel and aluminum exports. The tariffs have been delayed multiple times after they were originally expected to take effect in June 2018. Many of the items already face high tariffs -- walnuts are taxed at 100 percent, fresh apples at 50 percent, chickpeas at 60 percent, motorcycles at 100 percent -- but the actions would add 10 percent more to many ag products, 20 percent more to walnuts and almonds, and 50 percent more to motorcycles.