The International Trade Commission estimated that by the sixth year after the new NAFTA's ratification, the U.S. economy would have 176,000 more jobs than it would have without the new revised trade deal. That's a 0.12 percent increase compared to the status quo.

Vietnam customs is considering an overhaul of its regulations on valuation, according to a report from the agency’s website CustomsNews. The current 2015 regulation brought Vietnam in line with the World Trade Organization agreement on valuation of goods, but it also did not define some concepts, making it difficult to implement for traders, the report said. Upcoming changes include the order and conditions under which valuation methods should be apply, as well a rewrite of regulations governing those methods, including transaction value, transaction value of similar goods and deductive value.

New Zealand implemented a range of gun control regulations on April 12, banning most semi-automatic firearms and introducing penalties for importing guns without a permit, according to an April 17 notice from Baker McKenzie and the New Zealand Parliamentary Counsel Office. The regulations also contain provisions that can penalize exporters or importers who “knowingly [supply] or [sell] a prohibited firearm or prohibited magazine to a person who does not hold a permit to import or possess one,” according to Baker McKenzie.

Companies and individuals who violate New Zealand customs requirements can now be issued a range of instant fines, according to a list of infringement offenses from New Zealand Customs. The list was mentioned in an April 17 notice from Baker McKenzie. The changes were introduced in October as part of the country’s Customs and Excise Act of 2018 but were not implemented until after a six-month “education phase,” according to the notice. They became effective April 1, 2019.

Leaders from Japan and China said during a meeting in Beijing on April 15 that they want to finish negotiating the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership in 2019, according to a press release from China’s Ministry of Commerce. China said it wants to ratify RCEP, a free trade agreement proposed in 2012 by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, “within the year as early as possible.” The trade agreement is poised to be the “most ambitious ever negotiated by developing countries,” according to a report from The Brookings Institution, and is expected to increase global trade by 1.9 percent and reduce certain tariff lines.

The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing new reporting requirements for 11 chemicals under significant new use rules. The proposed SNURs would require notification to EPA at least 90 days in advance of a new use by importers, manufacturers or processors. Importers of chemicals subject to these proposed SNURs would need to certify their compliance with the SNUR requirements should these proposed rules be finalized, EPA said. Exporters of these chemicals would become subject to export notification requirements. Comments on the proposed SNURs are due May 20.

The State Department is seeking Office of Management and Budget approval of the information it will collect through an “online case management system” that will consolidate several Directorate of Defense Trade Controls licensing forms, it said in a notice. The new DS-7788 will be used to review and adjudicate requests to export or temporarily import defense articles, defense services and related technical data. After the new system is implemented, DDTC will discontinue the use of several forms consolidated into the new DS-7788: the DSP-5, DSP-6, DSP-85, DSP-73, DSP-61, DSP-62, DSP-74, DS-6004 and DS-4294. Comments are due to State by June 18.

SAN ANTONIO -- The Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security and the Census Bureau hope to issue their long-awaited proposed regulations on routed export transactions in late spring or early summer, said Sharron Cook, senior policy export analyst at BIS, at the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America's annual conference April 17. When they come out, Cook thinks, export forwarders will see two of their bigger headaches with the current regulations on track for resolution.

The State Department is amending the International Traffic in Arms Regulations to make changes to its licensing exemption for transfers made by or for an agency of the U.S. government. The scope of the revised exemption is now expanded to allow for permanent exports and retransfers, as well as transfers by third parties acting for the U.S. government. The final rule takes effect April 19.

SAN ANTONIO -- CBP is combing through its export processes to streamline, automate and harmonize agency review, exams and penalties across the ports, according to Jim Swanson, director of CBP’s cargo and security controls division. Speaking at the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America's annual conference April 17, Swanson said CBP has “incrementally moved the ball” on exports in the past year, but is “on the verge” with “a few things we’re working on diligently.”