The U.S. lost its appeal of a 2018 World Trade Organization decision that it had not properly calculated countervailing duties for Chinese pipes, tubular goods, solar panels, aluminum extrusions and other items. China had originally challenged the cases in 2016 -- the cases were brought between 2007 and 2012 (see 1805010071). The earlier ruling held that the U.S. was right to say that Chinese state-owned enterprises count as "public bodies" and therefore their actions can be market distorting. The appeal upheld that element of the case, but also upheld the victories for China. The WTO said that Commerce did not prove specificity in the subsidies for the products, and it also could not show how the SOE inputs distorted market prices. It was not allowed to use other countries' prices as reference points to prove market distortions, the WTO said, unless it had specific evidence that government interference in the market warranted that. The appeal said that countries' ability to use other countries' prices in CVD cases is "very limited."

Vietnam is increasing enforcement on customs brokers who commit violations due to the “many” recent violations, according to a July 16 report from Customs News, the country’s customs’ mouthpiece. The announcement came from the director of the Ha Noi Customs Department, who urged the country’s department of customs and Ministry of Finance to “promptly issue decisions to terminate operation for offending Customs brokers” and “improve the legal system to effectively manage these brokers,” the report said. Violations included “not reporting as required and using digital signatures for incorrect purposes,” Director Duong Phu Dong said, according to the report.

Non-brokers can now declare goods with the Philippines Bureau of Customs, according to a July 16 report from the Manila Bulletin, a Filipino newspaper. Before being able to declare goods, non-brokers must first file an application to obtain a Certificate of Accreditation from Philippines Customs, which is valid for one year, the report said. After the non-broker is accredited, he is “responsible for the accuracy of the goods declaration and for the payment of duties, taxes and other charges of the imported goods,” the report said, referencing a statement released by the Philippines. The non-brokers are also liable for violations under the Philippines' Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, the report said.

Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry released its 2019 White Paper on International Economy and Trade on July 16, detailing the “negative impacts” caused by certain “trade restrictive measures” and suggesting a “new rule-based international trade system,” the ministry said in a press release. The paper also examines Japan’s economic and trade relationships with other countries and the “position of Japanese companies in overseas markets,” the ministry said. The paper “presents perspectives that Japan should adopt in advancing its trade and industrial policies,” according to the press release.

China is adding more cities to the 35 already participating in its cross-border e-commerce Comprehensive Pilot Zone Program, according to a July 16 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The China State Council announced the upcoming additions after its July 3 meeting. While the additional cities have not yet been named, they are expected to benefit from the same advantages offered to other cities in the program, including no value-added taxes on exports, the report said. The zones will also be given “support” for “the establishment of a greater number of overseas warehouses and “e-commerce platforms are to be assisted in the implementation of the appropriate intellectual property safeguards,” the report said.

Exporters are no longer required to register with Laos or obtain a “domestic business license” before shipping goods into the country, according to a July 16 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. Instead, exporters and businesses need to be approved by Laos’ Ministry of Industry and Commerce, which requires exporters to submit a request to the Ministry's Department of Import/Export, the report said. All applicants must provide proof they are registered as a “legal business entity” in a member nation of the World Trade Organization, the report said, and must never have “been found in breach of any relevant financial regulations.” The move is expected to “streamline export procedures” and improve Laos’ “overall business climate,” the report said.

The Directorate of Defense Trade Controls is changing the name of its Defense Trade Controls Compliance Registration division to the Registration Compliance & Analysis (RCA) division, the DDTC said in a July 15 notice. There will be no change to the registration organization’s structure, the DDTC said. The notice said all registration letters issued on or after July 15 will “reflect the RCA division” and all active letters issued before July 15 remain valid and no changes are needed. The DDTC also said it updated its website on July 15 to reflect the name change.

The Department of Justice announced charges against three Iranian citizens for violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act after they exported carbon fiber from the U.S. to Iran, according to a July 16 press release. One of the Iranian citizens, Behzad Pourghannad, was extradited to the U.S. from Germany on July 15. The other two -- Ali Reza Shokri and Farzin Faridmanesh -- have not yet been arrested, the DOJ said.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, told reporters July 16 that he's no longer making predictions about how or when the China-U.S. trade conflict might get resolved. In April, before the breakdown in talks, Grassley was cheering the progress the administration was making (see 1904100052). He said he had been expecting something to be signed in late May, and when the talks fell apart, "I thought we were at the 10-yard line getting an agreement." So now, he said, "I'm going to be very careful" about reacting to news about how things are going between negotiators. He said he heard the rumors that hawks in China are ascendant, and that an addition to the Chinese negotiating team bodes ill for an agreement, but then also saw commentators saying such pessimism is overblown. "I’m just going to take it a day at a time," he said.

The Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned Bah Ag Moussa for acting on behalf of a West African terrorist group and its leader, Treasury said in a July 16 press release. OFAC designated Moussa as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist for working with the group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), which was so designated in 2018, Treasury said.