The United Kingdom’s Department for International Trade on Dec. 11 updated its guidance on trading with Japan post-Brexit. The guidance, to take effect Jan. 1, now includes an updated statement of origin value threshold “after Japan notified the UK of their waiver limit” under the two countries’ trade deal.
China’s General Administration of Customs issued rules related to inspections for certain mechanical and electrical products, a Dec. 11 notice said, according to an unofficial translation. The notice includes “implementation rules” for pre-shipment inspections of imported used mechanical and electrical products, which will take effect Jan. 1, China said. The rules are designed to “strengthen and standardize” customs management of the inspections, China said.
Burma recently reduced its list of products that need an import license, removing the requirement from 689 tariff lines, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service reported Dec. 9. Those goods span a range of agricultural products, including buttermilk and cream, whey, butter, certain sausages, certain fish, certain waters and coffee-based drinks and certain “non-aerated beverages.” Despite the license requirement removals, USDA stressed that more than 3,900 tariff lines, including the “majority” of U.S. agricultural exports to Burma, still require a license.
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal, D-Mass., says that the new administration should prioritize a free trade deal with the European Union following the template of USMCA, saying President Donald Trump's abandonment of serious trade talks with Europe was a “particularly detrimental blunder.”
The United Kingdom’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation added 11 entries under its global human rights sanctions regime, it said Dec. 10. The designations target 11 politicians, officials and other human rights violators in Russia, Venezuela, The Gambia and Pakistan, it said. This is the third time the U.K. has imposed sanctions under its human rights regime since launching it in July (see 2007060025).
The European Union is bracing for a large workload and host of new “responsibilities” as it prepares to implement its new dual-use export control regime, said Denis Redonnet, the European Commission’s chief trade enforcement officer. Redonnet said the regime will “test” EU agencies and governments and will only succeed with cooperation from industry experts.
Foley Hoag hired Luciano Racco, previously assistant general counsel at Raytheon Technologies’ Collins Aerospace division, as counsel and co-chair of its Trade Sanctions and Export Control practice, the law firm said in a news release Nov. 30.
China will impose temporary countervailing measures on wine imports from Australia, a Dec. 10 Ministry of Commerce notice said, according to an unofficial translation. China said its wine industry has been subject to “substantial damages” due to Australian wine subsidies. Beginning Dec. 11, Chinese importers must pay Chinese customs authorities at 6.3% to 6.4% rates for certain wine imports, the notice said. In a separate move, China recently imposed steep import taxes on Australian wines after saying they were being unfairly dumped (see 2011300022).
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called for more vigilance on college campuses to prevent technology theft by Chinese interests (see 2008130036) and warned of increasing attempts by China to recruit professors, researchers and students. Pompeo said some of China’s “high-end industrial base” is “based on stolen technology,” including research theft from American universities. “We cannot allow this tyrannical regime to steal our stuff, to build their military might and brainwash our people, or buy off our institutions to help them cover up these activities,” Pompeo said Dec. 9 at the Georgia Institute of Technology. “We need researchers to be vigilant against fraud and theft, and the academic community to reject [China’s] financial siren songs.”
CBP is looking to expand its electronic export manifest pilot in “several environments and ports” but does not yet have a time frame for doing so, a CBP spokesman said Dec. 9. He said the agency “is in discussion with ports and carriers to expand the pilot,” which may include a rail EEM pilot through the Port of Buffalo, adding to the existing rail pilot in Port Huron. “Other rail carriers are currently programming and testing with their assigned CBP client representative,” the spokesman said in an email. He clarified “there is no set limit for pilot participants” for ocean EEM “and carriers can submit for all ports.” He added that CBP does not yet have a timeline for expanding the air EEM pilot, “but air carriers can work with their CBP client representatives if they elect to submit air EEM.” CBP and the Census Bureau are unclear about the timeline for the full release of the EEM system (see 2003110038).