EU Government Notices for Dec 5-6
The European Union issued the following trade-related releases Dec 5-6 (notices of most significance will be given separate headlines):
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Export Compliance Daily combines U.S. export control news, foreign border import regulation and policy developments into a single daily information service that reliably informs its trade professional readers about important current issues affecting their operations.
- Argentina import restrictions update. The EU asked the WTO to rule over a dispute on Argentina’s import restrictions after a failed round of consultations that took place in July 2012. The EU, and the U.S. and Japan, feel the restrictions have been damaging to European business the past 18 months. These measures potentially affect all EU exports to Argentina, worth €8.3 billion in 2011. As of February 2012, Argentina has subjected the import of all goods to a pre-registration and pre-approval regime. Hundreds of goods also need a non-automatic import license and are often delayed or refused without full, clear explanation. (here) (here)
- Russian trade relations reform. Karel De Gucht, European Commissioner for Trade, gave a speech to the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe on the state of EU-Russia trade relations. Though much progress has been made this year alone due to Russia's WTO accession, he notes that cooperation "requires Russia to go further -- addressing weaknesses in the rule of law, strengthening the financial system, promoting innovation, building infrastructure and attracting more foreign investment." (here)
- ECHA substance testing update. The REACH Regulation requires registrants to submit proposals for testing to the European Chemical Agency (ECHA) when they identify a data gap for certain information requirements. ECHA examined all proposals to test substances submitted and issued draft or final decisions to companies by the legal deadline of December 1, 2012. This is an important step in the REACH process to make sure that data gaps are filled and to avoid unnecessary animal testing. (here)
- Transatlantic Business Council created. EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht welcomed the merger of the Transatlantic Business Dialog (TABD) and the European American Business Council (EABC), scheduled for January 2013, to form the Transatlantic Business Council (TBC). The EU and US economies account together for about half of the entire world GDP and for nearly a third of world trade flows. (here)