The Commerce Department revoked export privileges for Alexis Vlachos, who was convicted of violating the Arms Export Control Act in 2018 after illegally exporting firearms controlled on the U.S. Munitions List to Canada, Commerce said in an Oct. 23 notice. Vlachos was sentenced to 51 months in prison, and a $200 fine, the notice said. Commerce revoked Vlachos’ export privileges for seven years dating from her Sept. 4, 2018, conviction.
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said the changes to the auto rules of origin in the new NAFTA -- which include a wage floor for a proportion of the parts workers or assembly workers -- don't impress the United Auto Workers union.
Vice President Mike Pence, even as he called China "a strategic and economic rival," said that the U.S. wants to keep talking after the phase 1 trade deal is done, in order "to bring about long-overdue structural reforms in our economic relationship. And as I heard again from him this morning, President Trump remains optimistic that an agreement can be reached."
The Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule setting new significant new use rules (SNURs) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for eight chemical substances that were the subject of premanufacture notices (PMNs). As a result of the SNURs, persons planning to manufacture, import or process any of the chemicals for an activity that is designated as a significant new use by this rule are required to notify EPA at least 90 days in advance. Importers of chemicals subject to these SNURs will need to certify their compliance with the SNUR requirements, and exporters of these chemicals will now become subject to export notification requirements. The final rule takes effect Dec. 27.
A former top U.S. trade official and a New Zealand ambassador were optimistic the World Trade Organization can work through issues over its dispute settlement body but warned about damaging consequences for world trade if it doesn’t.
The Treasury Department announced a mechanism to help companies ensure their humanitarian exports to Iran will not be diverted to the government and other sanctioned Iranian entities, Treasury said in an Oct. 25 press release. The mechanism will require participating foreign governments and financial institutions to “conduct enhanced due diligence” -- including the reporting of “a substantial and unprecedented amount of information” -- on a monthly basis. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control also issued a guidance outlining the requirements.
The World Customs Organization issued the following release on commercial trade and related matters:
In the Oct. 22-23 editions of the Official Journal of the European Union the following trade-related notices were posted:
The United Kingdom's Department for International Trade updated guidance on its continuity trade agreements with Israel and Switzerland, according to Oct. 24 notices. The updated guidance, which provides details on what the trade deals will cover after a possible no-deal Brexit, includes added details on how the agreements differ from the current European Union agreements.
South Korea is increasing its imports of Vietnamese agricultural goods in order to balance Vietnam's trade deficit between the two countries, South Korea said in an Oct. 24 press release, according to an unofficial translation. South Korea said it plans to import more Vietnamese tropical fruits to strengthen “Vietnam’s agricultural competitiveness.” South Korea said it “will be able to alleviate trade imbalances in the medium and long term through this.” The press release came after the two countries recently met during the Korea-Vietnam Economic Cooperation Committee in Hanoi, where they discussed trade and economic cooperation.