China recently passed a law to further reduce imports of solid waste, according to a June 3 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The law, which takes effect Sept. 1, includes provisions to help China reach its goal of zero imported solid waste, including permit requirements for certain activities and the introduction of a “domestic waste sorting system.” China previously expanded efforts to combat solid waste smuggling (see 1904120045 and 1903250021).
Reps. Brad Sherman, D-Calif., and Ted Yoho, R-Fla., will introduce a House version of Senate legislation that would expand U.S. sanctions on Chinese efforts to meddle in Hong Kong’s autonomy (see 2005260031). The House bill, like its Senate companion, would sanction “foreign individuals” and banks supporting Chinese efforts to pass a so-called national security law in Hong Kong, according to a June 1 press release. Sherman applauded the Senate for “moving quickly” to introduce their version of the bill. “Congress must act to support the residents of Hong Kong,” he said in a statement. Yoho said the U.S. must “put pressure on Beijing to honor their past agreements.”
Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee are telling the administration that there's a “litany of reasons why we consider it inappropriate for the Administration to engage in economic partnership discussions of any scope with a Brazilian leader who disregards the rule of law and is actively dismantling hard-fought progress on civil, human, environmental, and labor rights.”
A Singapore electronics manufacturer voluntarily disclosed to the Treasury Department possible U.S. sanctions violations, the company said in a May 28 Securities and Exchange Commission filing. The company, Flex Ltd., said the violations may have been committed by its non-U.S. affiliates and that it is conducting an internal investigation, expected to be completed “by the end of the second quarter of fiscal year 2021,” so it cannot estimate possible penalties.
The Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security will officially add 33 companies and government agencies to the Entity List on June 5 for their roles in aiding proliferation activities and human rights abuses in China’s Xinjiang province, BIS said in two Federal Register notices. The notices formalize the additions, which were announced in May (see 2005220058).
The Office of the U.S. Representative posted the final implementing regulations of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, covering the interpretation, application, and administration of rules of origin, textiles, and customs and trade facilitation.
The Commerce Department plans to issue an advance notice of proposed rulemaking to remove certain filing requirements for exporters shipping goods to Puerto Rico, said Kiesha Downs, chief of the Foreign Trade Division’s regulations branch at the Census Bureau. The rule is under review by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs and is expected to be published this year, Downs said during a June 2 Regulations and Procedures Technical Advisory Committee meeting.
Saudi Arabia’s customs authority announced a range of increased customs rates covering agricultural goods, consumer products, chemicals, vehicles and more, according to a June 1 KPMG post. The rates will increase by anywhere from 0.5% to 15% beginning June 10. Impacted agricultural products include poultry, meat products, seafood, dairy, vegetables and olive oil. The increased duties will also impact a range of chemicals -- including carbon and silicon -- building materials and emergency vehicles. The change represents an “unexpected increase” in costs for Saudi importers and other supply chain actors, KPMG said. Some importers may be able to mitigate the portions of the increased duties by reviewing tariff codes and making use of available customs exemptions and reductions, the post said. Saudi Arabia's announcement comes one month after the country said it plans to triple its value-added tax rate (see 2005110024).
The Panama Maritime Authority will impose sanctions on Panamanian flagged ships that “deliberately deactivate, tamper or alter” their Long Range Identification and Tracking System or Automatic Identification System, the authority said in a May notice. Sanctions may include up to a $10,000 fine. Panamanian maritime officials are “monitoring all our fleet 24/7” and will receive an automatic alert if a vessel’s LRIT or AIS is not reporting, the notice said. If there is “no technical support that justifies the missing report,” authorities may impose “sanctions that will be deemed appropriate,” including fines, de-flagging of vessels or deletions from the registry. The U.S. has published guidance on common sanctions evasions practices by ships, which include tampering with AIS signals (see 2005140039).
Three men were arrested in Singapore after importing more than $1 million worth (in Singapore dollars) of counterfeit cigarettes, Singapore customs said in a June 2 notice. Authorities discovered the illegal imports after the customs agency seized three cigarette containers that had been awaiting reexport to other countries, the notice said. The containers contained more than 1.5 million packets of counterfeit cigarettes, the notice said. Singapore officials also raided “multiple locations” linked to the three men, and said investigations are ongoing. Each of the men faces a maximum $100,000 fine and a five-year prison sentence, or both.