President Donald Trump on July 26 directed the U.S. trade representative to seek changes at the World Trade Organization that would prevent rich countries from claiming benefits reserved for developing countries in WTO agreements.

If the United Kingdom leaves the European Union on a “hard Brexit,” the U.K. will likely make use of more flexible licensing powers, publish more sanctions guidance and may quickly impose its own set of sanctions on human rights violations, said Maya Lester, a U.K.-based sanctions lawyer, during a KPMG webinar on July 25.

In the July 25 edition of the Official Journal of the European Union the following trade-related notices were posted:

The government of Canada issued the following trade-related notices as of July 24 (note that some may also be given separate headlines):

Thailand issued new quality standards for alcohol imports that requires all imports to meet the country’s Certificate of Analysis standards, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a Foreign Agricultural Service report released July 24. The country in March issued an extension for “full implementation” of the procedures (see 1903190029). The changes took effect June 5, USDA said.

Singapore’s customs and trade agreement with New Zealand will take effect Aug. 1, enhancing customs clearance for both countries, Singapore said in a July 25 notice. Singapore said the Mutual Recognition Arrangement will “further our efforts to enhance global supply chain security and facilitate the movement of legitimate goods” by allowing certain certified companies to trade between Singapore and New Zealand with expedited customs procedures. Companies benefiting from the deal must be certified by Singapore Customs as “having robust security practices and lower risks” or by the New Zealand Customs Service’s Secure Exports Scheme, the notice said.

Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry released a July 24 statement about Japan’s ongoing dispute with South Korea, saying South Korea’s position on “catch-all controls” are “unclear” and criticizing South Korea for continuously postponing “policy dialogue” talks.

Bangladesh’s Export Promotion Bureau is expected to soon launch an online registration system that will require companies that export to the European Union, Switzerland or Norway to “self-issue” certificates of origin for their goods, according to a July 25 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. Companies will have until June 30, 2020, to register with the bureau and obtain an EU Registered Exporter number, which will allow them to self-issue certificates of origin for a 12-month period, the report said. Companies will need to register annually to “maintain their [Generalized System of Preferences] entitlement,” the report said.

Of the 10 Congress members who traveled to Mexico last weekend to evaluate the NAFTA rewrite as part of a congressional delegation, one was already planning to vote for the deal, others were leaning yes, and some others have always opposed free trade deals. For some of those who were leaning yes, their conversations with government officials and institutions that tackle environmental problems near the border moved them closer to voting yes. For others who were already skeptical, they returned even more skeptical.

At a press conference attended by dozens of pro-USMCA trade groups, U.S. Chamber of Commerce CEO Thomas Donohue said his group is optimistic that the trade pact will get a vote in September. Donohue held his fingers an inch apart and said, "Lighthizer and Nancy Pelosi are this close," he said, referring to negotiations on changes to the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement between U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and the Speaker of the House. Donohue said the Chamber is "very, very willing to move forward" with small fixes, which he characterized as "ornaments on the tree."