The Canadian Food Inspection Agency sent an AIRS update announcing that it has increased restrictions on release of certain egg products from bird species other than chickens of subheadings 0408.11.0274 and 0408.91.0278 imported for certain uses from every U.S. state except Arkansas, California, Iowa, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington and Wisconsin. The change applies to goods imported with the end uses "other end uses," "samples for testing," "scientific use (research)," and "show or exhibition," the update said.

China will lower its value-added-tax rates on certain goods and services from 16 percent to 13 percent and from 10 percent to 9 percent, China's Premier Li Keqiang said during the opening of the county's annual meeting of its National People's Congress on March 5, according to multiple reports. While Li said the new 13 percent VAT will apply to manufacturing and the 9 percent will apply to transportation and construction, KPMG projects the scope of the rate changes to broad, with the 13 percent rate applying to all Chinese imports. Li did not announce when the new rates will take effect, although they are expected this year.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control added one entity and made one change to its Specially Designated Nationals List, under Counter Terrorism designations, OFAC said in a March 5 notice. The office added Harakat Al-Nujaba, a terrorism group, and updated information on Arkam ‘Abbas Al-Kabi, an Iraqi national. The terrorist group is associated with Iraq and Syria, according to the notice.

Failure to provide the Canada Border Services Agency with proof of origin upon request, corrections to origin declarations, or reports of diverted goods are among customs compliance violations that will face steeper penalties starting in April, the CBSA said in a March 5 notice. The CBSA previously said it planned to increase the Administrative Monetary Penalties for trade compliance violations (see 1903040034), but had not provided details on the changes.

C.H. Robinson will buy The Space Cargo Group for about $48 million, the company said in a news release. The Space Cargo Group is headquartered in Madrid, Spain, and offers customs brokerage and international freight forwarding services, it said. “We continue to look for ways to capitalize on the opportunity to grow globally, in part by acquiring leading local providers that share our commitment of best-in-class service and execution," said Bob Biesterfeld, who will become CEO of C.H. Robinson in May. "This enables us to better support our customers of all sizes and enhance returns as we integrate these companies into our global business.”

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

A trade embargo on Qatar by the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt remains in effect, despite some recent reports that restrictions had been loosened, law firm Baker McKenzie said in a blog post. Those reports were based on readings of circulars from UAE ports that were “inaccurate and misconstrued,” and the UAE Federal Customs Authority says there “has been no recent development in relation to the Qatar boycott,” the blog post said. “In light of these statements and until further information becomes available or the situation is further clarified by the [UAE Federal Transport Authority] or the customs authorities in the UAE, parties should continue to operate on the basis that there has been no relief or relaxation of the boycott whether on the part of the UAE or Qatar,” Baker McKenzie said.

In the March 4 edition of the Official Journal of the European Union the following trade-related notices were posted:

The United Kingdom’s HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) on March 4 launched a new online portal for importers and exporters to get Economic Operator Registration and Identification numbers, which will be required to trade with the European Union if the UK leaves the EU with no deal at the end of March. Once the application is submitted, the EORI number might be provided immediately, “but it could take up to 3 working days if HMRC needs to make more checks,” the agency said in updated guidance. The EORI number will be required for businesses “established in the UK” that don’t already have an EORI and that will import or export goods with the EU after 11 p.m. GMT on March 29, when the UK is currently scheduled to leave the EU. An EORI will not be required for trade with Ireland across the Northern Ireland-Ireland border, HMRC said.

The government of Canada recently issued the following trade-related notices for March 4 (note that some may also be given separate headlines):