A World Trade Organization panel has been composed to examine "U.S.-Certain Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) Requirements" for meat and certain agricultural products in a complaint brought by Canada (DS384) and Mexico (DS386). (Document - may be necessary to open twice for proper viewing, dated 05/11/10, available at http://docsonline.wto.org:80/DDFDocuments/t/wt/ds/386-8.doc)
In the May 12, 2010 edition of the Official Journal of the European Union, the following trade-related notices were posted:
The World Trade Organization has posted an article by the World Trade Institute recommending that future WTO negotiations include a comprehensive sectoral agreement on energy. Such negotiations would enable Members to address all pertinent issues at once such as the classification of energy goods, subsidies, trade in "green" energy, etc. (Article, posted 05/07/10, available at http://www.wto.org/english/res_e/publications_e/wtr10_7may10_e.htm)
In the May 11, 2010 edition of the Official Journal of the European Union, the following trade-related notices were posted:
In the May 8, 2010 edition of the Official Journal of the European Union, the following trade-related notices were posted:
EU Trade Commissioner De Gucht will conduct his first official visit to the U.S. on May 10-12, 2010 to meet with U.S. Trade Representative Kirk, Deputy National Security Adviser for International Economic Affairs Froman, and others. His visit will focus on the Transatlantic Economic Council and discussing the way forward on this initiative.
The European Chemicals Agency has posted a data submission information manual on how to determine what will be published on the ECHA website from a company's chemical substance registration dossier.
The Port of Long Beach has announced that a joint application for statewide Proposition 1B grants to reduce air pollution from goods transport is being submitted by the Port of Long Beach, the Port of Los Angeles and the South Coast Air Quality Management District. A recent meeting was held at the Port of Long Beach to allow the public to comment on the plan to apply for the funds. (Notice, posted 05/06/10, available at http://www.polb.com/news/displaynews.asp?NewsID=692&targetid=1)
The U.S., Canada, and Mexico are proposing to expand the scope of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer to phase down hydrofluorocarbons. As part of the proposal, the Environmental Protection Agency is proposing four refrigerants as possible substitutes in U.S. household and commercial refrigerators and freezers. (News release, dated 05/06/10, available at http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/d0cf6618525a9efb85257359003fb69d/4e4cae87f0d732078525771b0068ee2d!OpenDocument)
The World Trade Organization frequently posts communications to WTO members on issues that involve the U.S. The following are short summaries of such issues for April 2010: