Xinhaunet.com reports that China will continue to proceed with reform of its currency yuan, or RMB, despite the recent sharp falls of the euro, Chinese Minister of Commerce Chen Deming said here on May 21, 2010.
In the May 22, 2010 edition of the Official Journal of the European Union, the following trade-related Commission Regulations were posted:
The Port of Long Beach has updated its webpage that provides information on permitting for overweight and oversize trucks on roads in and around the Port. Access to roadways is restricted for vehicles that exceed certain size and weight limits. The restrictions vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.
The World Trade Organization has circulated additional questions by the U.S. on China's Customs Valuation Agreement. For example, in reference to China's statement that "Customs shall not release goods against securities in circumstances... where the laws and administrative regulations have provided for," the U.S. asks under what circumstance would Customs not release the goods, even if the guarantee is paid?
During the May 21, 2010 meeting of the World Trade Organization's Council for Trade in Goods, Japan questioned the local-content provisions of a Canadian province's energy program. The Council also approved requests by the European Union to extend deadlines on its tariff negotiations with other members on its enlargements in 2004 and in 2007.
At its meeting on May 18, 2010, the World Trade Organization's Dispute Settlement Body established panels to examine the U.S. use of “zeroing” on certain products from Korea and on shrimp from Vietnam, to examine European Union measures on shoes from China, etc.
In the May 21, 2010 edition of the Official Journal of the European Union, the following trade-related notices were posted:
The European Commission announced that Seychelles has ratified its interim Economic Partnership Agreement with the EU. The interim EPA encompasses duty-free, quota-free access to EU markets and has provisions on development cooperation and fisheries. The Seychelles will liberalize 98% of its imports from the EU within 15 years.
The World Trade Organization has increased the number of economies covered by its Services Profiles from just over 60 to more than 90. Each profile provides detailed statistics on key infrastructure services, such as transportation, telecommunications, finance and insurance.
The European Parliament has blocked the European Commission's proposal to authorize "meat glue" thrombin as a food additive subject to regulation at EU level. With the blocked vote, Member State authorities remain able to decide at national level whether to allow the use of thrombin as a "processing aid" in food.