The government of Canada recently issued the following trade-related notices for Nov. 16 (note that some may also be given separate headlines):
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced changes Nov. 6-9 to Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) electronic manuals. While some changes are minor, other changes may affect the admissibility of the plant products, including fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
The costs for agriculture reimbursable overtime services by CBP Agriculture Specialists will go up at the Port of Seattle, said CBP in a Nov. 5 trade information notice. The increase is the result of an Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service increase to its hourly rates for overtime services performed by APHIS, and in some cases CBP as of Nov. 2 (see 1510010017). The costs for reimbursable overtime "will be calculated by the Office of Administration, Financial Operations, Debt Management Branch based on the amount paid to the CBP Agriculture Specialist for performing the service(s), and not at the previous proscribed rates," said CBP. The Government Accountability Office recommended the fee increase in a 2013 report that found current fees are not covering all costs associated with the program, forcing CBP to dip into its own budget to make up for the shortfall (see 13030601). Industry groups have called the APHIS fee hikes “exorbitant” and “unfair” (see 14072920).
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced changes Nov. 2 to Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) electronic manuals. While some changes are minor, other changes may affect the admissibility of the plant products, including fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for Oct. 26-30 in case they were missed.
The U.S. has not taken action to pave the way for Argentine beef (chilled or frozen) exports to the U.S. market despite a July Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service move to lift the ban, the Argentine delegation to the World Trade Organization told American officials during a Dispute Settlement Body meeting on Oct. 28. The U.S. previously put that ban in place over foot-and-mouth disease concerns, but WTO judges have sided with Argentina in the dispute, saying the ban doesn’t meet sanitary and phytosanitary standards (see 1507300070). The Argentine statements took the U.S. off guard, said the WTO in a release (here). “The U.S. was of the view that it had addressed the matters raised in this dispute,” the release said. APHIS didn't comment.
CBP should “lock down” Automated Commercial Environment business rules, implementation guides, and record layouts for all partner government agencies (PGAs), allowing no additional changes prior to the February 2016 ACE mandatory use date in order to give filers time to implement and test PGA programming, said the CBP Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations (COAC) in a recommendation adopted at the group’s Oct. 29 meeting. “The agencies have had enough time to finalize their layouts,” said the recommendation, put forward by the COAC One U.S. Government at the Border (1USG) committee. “Importers and filers need to be afforded the same courtesy, in terms of having adequate time to complete and test their own programming.”
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced changes Oct. 28 to Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) electronic manuals. While some changes are minor, other changes may affect the admissibility of the plant products, including fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service published its final rule raising Agricultural Quarantine and Inspection (AQI) fees on Oct. 29, as scheduled (here). The final regulations also create a new fee for treatment services, and removes caps on fees for ocean vessels and aircraft (see 1510260080). As anticipated, the final rule will take effect Dec. 28.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced changes Oct. 26 to Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) electronic manuals. While some changes are minor, other changes may affect the admissibility of the plant products, including fruits, vegetables, and flowers.