South Korea will allow for beef imports from some EU states after a nearly 20-year ban was lifted, the European Commission said in a news release. "Producers from Denmark and the Netherlands are the first ones to be able to resume exports," it said. “This is a very welcome development and an important statement of confidence by the South Korean authorities in the safety and quality of European beef," said Phil Hogan, commissioner for agriculture and the next commissioner for trade. "Following confirmation of access for Danish and Dutch operators, I hope that it won't be long before operators in other EU Member States are approved for export to this important and valuable market. Securing access for other EU Member States will continue to be a priority for the European Commission in bilateral trade relations with Korea.” South Korea had imposed the restrictions as a result of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in 2001. South Korean authorities recently "provided assurances that the pending applications from EU Member States (others than Denmark and the Netherlands) would be processed in due time," the EC said.
The government of Canada issued the following trade-related notices as of Sept. 30 (note that some may also be given separate headlines):
Argentina extended for 360 days an export ban on certain iron and steel waste intended for consumption, according to a Sept. 30 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The extension is aimed at maintaining a “steady supply of raw materials for domestic manufacturers,” the report said.
Japan’s trade minister said the recently signed U.S.-Japan trade agreement is “powerful” and lauded its reduced tariff measures, according to an unofficial translation of a transcript of a Sept. 27 press conference. “I think it was of great significance that we broadly eliminated protectionist measures that would distort the global supply chain,” Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Isshu Sugawara said. He said the agreement will take effect after it is reviewed by Japan’s “Legal Bureau” and approved by Japan’s legislature, echoing U.S. comments that the two sides plan to conduct more trade negotiations on a comprehensive agreement.
The State Council Information Office of China released a white paper titled “China and the World in the New Era” on Sept. 28, detailing what it said is its new “trade and investment liberalization” regulations, increased protection of intellectual property rights, its additional free trade zones and more. The paper also includes a section titled “China will never seek hegemony,” saying it does not want to “threaten, challenge or replace any other country” in its process of becoming stronger through its own development, but says other countries should not expect China to “trade its core interests or to accept anything that is damaging to China’s own sovereignty, security and development interests.”
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement is expected to be finalized this year, China’s vice minister of commerce said, adding that talks are “accelerating” and little obstacles remain.
The Trump administration is continuing the President’s Export Council until Sept. 30, 2021, the White House said Sept. 27. The council, a federal advisory committee -- which usually meets twice a year, according to the Federal Advisory Committee database -- did not meet in fiscal year 2018.
The Agricultural Marketing Service amending its U.S. Standards for Grades of Apples to remove smooth net-like russeting as a grade-determining factor in the U.S. Extra Fancy, U.S. Fancy and U.S. No. 1 grades for Fuji apples, it said. The final rule also removes obsolete references to the location where color standards may be examined and purchased, AMS said. The changes also affect the grade requirements under the Export Apple Act.
The Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control updated two Venezuelan general licenses related to dealings with certain bonds and securities, OFAC said in a Sept. 30 notice. General License No. 3F is replaced with General License No. 3G, which authorizes dealings with certain Venezuela-related bonds until March 31, 2020. General License No. 9E is replaced with General License No. 9F, which authorizes certain dealings related to Petroleos de Venezuela securities, also until March 31, 2020.
The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned Russian people, entities and other actors for trying to influence the 2018 U.S. midterm elections, Treasury said in a Sept. 30 press release. The sanctions also increase pressure on Yevgeniy Prigozhin, a previously designated Russian businessman, by sanctioning three of his planes, a yacht and employees of the Internet Research Agency (IRA), which Prigozhin funds, Treasury said.