China is going to ask the World Trade Organization to authorize retaliatory tariffs on $2.4 billion worth of goods at the WTO's dispute settlement body meeting Oct. 28. If the U.S. disagrees with either the argument that it's not complying with the ruling on countervailing duties, or the amount of retaliation permitted, an arbitrator will decide how much China may retaliate.
The World Customs Organization issued the following release on commercial trade and related matters:
In the Oct. 17-21 editions of the Official Journal of the European Union the following trade-related notices were posted:
The United Kingdom and Georgia signed a continuity agreement to continue trading under current terms after Britain leaves the European Union, the U.K.'s Department for International Trade said in an Oct. 21 press release. The deal copies the “comprehensive market access for trade” under the two sides’ EU agreement, the U.K. said. “Trading under the terms outlined in the agreement, rather than on World Trade Organization terms, will ensure British businesses and consumers benefit from continued preferential access to Georgia after the UK leaves the European Union,” the press release said.
Britain's Department for International Trade updated its guidance on the United Kingdom’s trade agreements with non-European Union countries in a no-deal Brexit. The guidance includes a list of trade agreements that have been signed and agreements that are still in discussion.
The United Kingdom on Oct. 21 issued a guidance on advance checks for registered firearms dealers exporting to European Union member states. The guidance provides information to exporters on applying in advance to sell to “regular consignees” if the U.K. leaves the EU without a deal.
The European Union’s 2018 move to change the definition of an exporter in its customs legislation is leading to different transition procedures on a country-by-country basis, creating complications for businesses, according to an Oct. 18 post from KPMG.
The European Commission updated a portion of its European Union dual-use export control list to bring it “in line … within the framework” of non-proliferation and export control regimes in 2018, the commission said Oct. 17. The updated list will take effect in about two months if its being approved by the European Council and European Parliament, according to an Oct. 21 post on the EU Sanctions blog. Changes to the list include new entries for discrete microwave transistors, microcomputer software and air-launch platforms for space launch vehicles, the post said, and amendments to entries for underwater submersible vehicles, hydrophones, cryptographic activation tokens, digital to analogue converters and multilayer mask control. The list deletes “technology for gas turbine engine components,” the post said, and contains new mentions of specific lasers and items designed for “civil industry application.”
The government of Canada issued the following trade-related notices as of Oct. 21 (note that some may also be given separate headlines):
Mexico recently announced a temporary increase in tariffs on three subheadings covering steel products. Tariffs will rise from zero to 15 percent for semi-finished products of iron or non-alloy steel under Mexican tariff numbers 7207.12.01 and 7207.12.99, as well as for certain alloy steel ingots, primary forms and semi-finished products under subheading 7224.90.02. The tariff increase took effect Oct. 16, and will remain in place for 180 days until April 12.