The Canada Border Services Agency updated the list of harmonized schedule codes subject to Canadian Food Inspection Agency requirements after “a thorough review,” the CBSA said in a Jan. 8 email. “Of particular note, HS codes for many goods that have ‘conditions of import’ specified in [the Automated Import Reference System (AIRS)] have been added to the list and some HS codes for which there are ‘no CFIA requirements’ have been removed,” it said. The changes took effect Jan. 1.
Brazil is poised to overtake the U.S. as the world’s leading soybean producer during the 2019-2020 season, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service report released Jan. 2. Although USDA predicts Brazil’s soybean exports will remain about the same compared with the previous year, an “emerging trade truce” between the U.S. and China as a result of the two sides’ phase one deal (see 1912310010) is “almost certain” to dent Brazilian soybean exports and lower the country’s soybean prices. “Brazil will lose some portion of its China export share to the United States” due to the deal, the report said. The Brazilian reaction to the initial U.S.-China trade deal has been “muted” even though it will likely cut into Brazil's agricultural exports, the USDA said. Because the details of the deal are not yet clear and due to other factors affecting U.S. soybean crop yields, most Brazilian soybean exporters have “adopted a wait-and-see approach,” the report said.
Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru recently agreed to unified labeling requirements for certain apparel, textiles, footwear, leather and travel goods to ease compliance with labeling regulations for exporters in Hong Kong, China and elsewhere, according to a Dec. 31 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The new labeling requirements will take effect for footwear, leather and travel goods in November and for apparel in May 2021, the report said. The apparel labeling regulations require “product composition, care instructions and country of origin” to be placed on a “permanent label.” The labels for footwear, leather and travel goods must also contain certain materials disclosures, the report said.
The Dominican Republic issued a guidance for upcoming regulations that aim to streamline the country’s exporting process, according to a Dec. 27 KPMG post. The regulations, which take effect Jan. 8, establish a single customs declaration for all exports shipped from a customs territory, except for merchandise exported by air and valued less than $200, KPMG said. A single declaration cannot contain merchandise “destined for different customs regimes,” KPMG said, and provides the exporter 20 days to follow through with the export. The guidance also established a “tolerance limit,” which “allows” the customs authority not to reject a shipment for undeclared goods or for an inaccurate valuation. This only applies if the “difference found does not exceed” 10 percent of the “declared merchandise value,” KPMG said, although penalties may be imposed on the exporter.
Argentina recently introduced a package of tax reform measures that contains one measure that will impact multinational exporters doing business with the country, KPMG said in a Dec. 27 post. The change will increase “withholding rates applicable to” agricultural exports. Companies may need to take “immediate action” to respond to the new measures, which took effect Dec. 23, 2019, KPMG said.