Nigeria will stop collecting container deposit fees from importers by the end of the first quarter of 2021, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported Aug. 25. The Nigerian Shippers Council is in talks with the National Insurance Corporation of Nigeria to include the fee with “marine insurance offerings.” Nigerian importers pay more than $4.45 million (U.S. dollar value) annually in container deposits, which has “increased the financial burden” on them and led to a higher cost of doing business, the report said. They can collect a full or partial refund only after the container is returned to an authorized redemption center.

Mexico’s General Directorate of Standards granted UL authority through a special “designation” to conduct safety and energy efficiency testing globally for electronics products and equipment imported into that country, the safety science company said Aug. 28. Included are safety tests for audio, video and information technology products and uninterruptible power systems, plus energy efficiency tests for major appliances, it said. With the ability now to test at UL or UL-approved labs outside Mexico, UL “can help reduce time and cost to market for product access to the Mexican marketplace,” it said. Navigating the regulatory landscape of global markets is a “complex and challenging task,” UL said, and COVID-19 “has added another layer of complexity.” The designation means companies can test their products closer to their factories “and mitigate delays due to the pandemic,” it said.

India recently notified the World Trade Organization of its draft regulations for new and revised standards for dairy products, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service reported Aug. 25. The regulations contain new provisions on labeling requirements and the composition of the products. The revised standards apply to ghee (clarified butter) and other milk fat products. Comments on the regulations are due in New Delhi Oct. 12.

The Treasury Department is seeking comments on an information collection related to foreign investment reviews by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., a notice released Aug. 28 said. The collection notes that Treasury recently introduced a new case management system to allow CFIUS filers to submit certain information online (see 2005180029). As of June 1, its use is now mandatory. Comments are due Sept. 30.

U.S. exporters of pet food may benefit due to a significant increase in demand in East Asia, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service reported Aug. 25. USDA specifically pointed to China, which has seen a “significant rise” in household pets and removal of some trade barriers for imports of pet food as part of the phase one trade deal, “paving the way for a substantial increase in sales.” The USDA said exports of U.S. pet food to China from January through June increased 124% compared with the same period last year. The decreased trade restrictions “may present a unique opportunity to increase U.S. market share in the Chinese pet food market,” the USDA said.

The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs began review of a proposed rule from the Bureau of Industry and Security related to its Strategic Trade Authorization (STA) license exception. The rule, which OIRA received Aug. 27, will clarify the “availability” and expand restrictions on availability of the license exception under the Export Administration Regulations.

Research and global security analytics firm Kharon this month produced a white paper on the Commerce Department’s new military end-use and end-user regulations. The paper provides an overview of the regulations, China’s civil-military fusion efforts and considerations for companies that now need to employ enhanced due diligence to comply with the regulations. The paper reviews challenges in determining whether a Chinese company is affiliated with the government or the military.

Twenty-three senators from both political parties urged U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to press Canada to uphold its promises to give U.S. dairy exporters more market access. In a letter, released by Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., Aug. 26, they said that they agree with concerns about enforcement of USMCA dairy provisions expressed in a July letter sent by House members (see 2007020040), and that they are concerned that Canada's plans to fill its quotas are not consistent with those provisions. “Canada must not be permitted to effectively recreate the harmful impacts of Canada’s highly trade-distortive Classes 6 and 7 milk pricing programs,” the Aug. 25 letter said. “Canada must ... clearly establish prices for any new classes based on the end use of dairy products, and ensure that export surcharges for certain dairy products are implemented properly.”

Taiwan plans to lift import restrictions on U.S. pork and beef, President Tsai Ing-wen said Aug. 28, adding that some Taiwanese restrictions, including in the agricultural sector, are blocking Taiwan from forming a “closer bond” with the U.S.

The United Arab Emirates tax authority issued a guidance clarifying the value-added tax treatment of e-commerce sales, KPMG posted Aug. 26. The guidance explains “place-of-supply rules,” VAT collection measures and requirements for exports eligible for zero VAT rates, KPMG said. The exporter must retain a certificate issued by UAE customs “or a similar document evidencing the export.” If the exporter cannot provide that document, “the application of the zero VAT rate could be challenged by the tax authorities,” KPMG said. Companies that cannot provide the document can apply for an “administrative exception for alternative export documentation.”