The National Marine Manufacturers Association celebrated Canada's full removal of tariffs on multiple types of boats from the U.S., in a May 6 news release. The Department of Finance Canada recently announced the change, which is expected to run in Canada Gazette on May 15, the NMMA said. Effective April 30, Canada's 10 percent retaliatory tariffs won't apply to the following items:
The Canada Border Services Agency updated the Regulated Commodities Data Element Matching Criteria Tables for use with Integrated Import Declarations, the CBSA said in a May 6 email. Effective May 6, the agency said it updated the tables for headings covered by Transport Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Health Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Global Affairs Canada, and Environment and Climate Change Canada. The update will appear on CBSA's website, though the agency notes that the website is still being updated.
Health Canada recently published new regulations for corded window coverings meant to reduce the strangulation hazard created by such products, the agency said in a news release. The regulations specify "requirements for construction, performance, labelling, and required product information across all market segments," Health Canada said in a notice in the Canada Gazette, Part II. The regulations take effect May 1, 2021, and will apply to all corded window coverings "sold, advertised, imported, or manufactured in Canada," Health Canada said. Among other things, the regulations will add requirements for sizes, lead content and reachability.
Mexico is still a few weeks away from an updated list of retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods, Mexican Undersecretary for Foreign Trade Luz Maria de la Mora said in a recent interview, according to a report from the Mexican TV network Multimedios. The updated list will include agricultural and industrial goods as well as steel products, she said. That’s similar to the current composition of the current tariffs, imposed in June 2018 in response to U.S. Section 232 tariffs (see 1903140025). Mexico will apply the updated tariffs for a few months, then see what the result is, hoping that the U.S. eliminates its Section 232 tariffs on Mexico, she said.
A recent ruling issued by the Mexico Secretariat of Economy clarifies an exemption from requirements to demonstrate compliance with Mexican product standards for certain products under a Mexican Sectoral Promotion Program (PROSEC), the Confederation of Mexican Customs Broker Associations (CAAAREM) said in a circular. Though many goods are required to have a certificate of compliance on file at entry beginning June 3, that requirement does not apply for (1) entries for consumption (2) by an importer with a PROSEC in effect, if (3) the imported merchandise will be used in the production of merchandise listed in article 4 of the PROSEC regulations, said the circular, as provided by trade consultancy AJR Comercio Exterior. That means that goods may be exempt even if they aren’t listed in paragraph 5 of the PROSEC decree, CAAAREM said.
An updated free trade agreement entered into effect May 1 between Argentina and Chile, complementing an existing agreement that has been in effect for more than 20 years, the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Relations said in a press release. While the existing trade agreement provides for duty-free trade in goods, the new agreement includes modern rules on investment, services, procurement, telecommunications and e-commerce.
Plant importers will be able to apply for permits electronically starting in June, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said in a May 1 notice. "Removing the hard-copy requirement makes the electronic application process easier, faster and cheaper, and reduces the administrative burden," the CFIA said. "This updated process promotes electronic access to CFIA services in line with the Agency's priority to offer digital-first tools and services."