While small businesses face several common export obstacles -- including foreign regulations and complex customs procedures -- there is “tremendous opportunity” for export growth, according to a study released Oct. 30 by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Google.
The World Trade Organization will convene a dispute settlement panel to judge whether India had the right to impose tariffs on apples, almonds, motorcycles and other products (see 1906170053). The panel was approved for formation in Geneva Oct. 29. Under the additional tariffs, American apples are taxed at 70 percent, compared with 50 percent for other countries' apple exports; the tariff on almonds and walnuts increased by 20 percentage points; and chickpeas and lentils have an additional 10 percentage points of duties. Most of these products are imported at low volumes, but India projected that it would collect more than $100 million in tariffs on almonds in the shell, and more than $20 million on apples. India says it is justified because the Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum are really safeguards to protect American mills and foundries, not national security measures. India is one of many countries involved in litigation at the WTO over the steel and aluminum tariffs -- others include Norway, Russia, the 28 countries of the European Union and China.
China’s free trade agreement with Mauritius will give Mauritius duty-free access to 96 percent of Chinese tariff lines as the two sides pledged to continue reducing tariffs on other items, according to an Oct. 28 post from Dezan Shira & Associates. The agreement, announced Oct. 17 (see 1910170027), gives Mauritius duty-free access to about 8,000 Chinese products and covers more than 40 service sectors, the post said. The two countries plan to eliminate tariffs both ways on more than 90 percent of traded goods, the post said.
Britain's Department for International Trade recently held 130 workshops to help small businesses “continue and increase their trade” after Britain leaves the European Union and plans to launch a “market access database” for traders, according to an Oct. 25 press release. The DIT said it invited “thousands” of small businesses to the workshops to “develop personalised plans” for trade after Brexit, discussing which paperwork businesses need to continue exporting and the impact of Brexit on supply chains. The DIT also clarified changes to regulations and contracts and where to find tariff confirmation, commodity codes and duty rates.
Indonesia’s president instructed officials to increase the country's exports in new and revised trade agreements, the government’s Ministry of Trade said Oct. 25, according to an unofficial translation. Indonesia wants to increase commodity exports that lack “opportunity” in foreign markets, the notice said. "For example, the products we export to the United States, but other countries with similar goods come in better. It means cheaper, deals with tariffs and so on," an Indonesian official said. As part of its plans, Indonesia said it plans to cut regulations that impede exports, the notice said.
A former top U.S. trade official and a New Zealand ambassador were optimistic the World Trade Organization can work through issues over its dispute settlement body but warned about damaging consequences for world trade if it doesn’t.
In the Oct. 22-23 editions of the Official Journal of the European Union the following trade-related notices were posted:
Indonesia and Australia expect to ratify their signed trade agreement by the end of the year, Indonesia’s trade ministry said Oct. 22, according to an unofficial translation. The agreement will increase export opportunities for Indonesian businesses and covers several non-tariff issues, including rules of origin, customs procedures, technical trade barriers, phytosanitary measures and more, Indonesia said. The deal “is expected to help businesses penetrate the Australian market and develop economic powerhouses so that Indonesian businesses can compete in other third country markets," Indonesia’s director general of national export development said in a statement.
The government of Canada issued the following trade-related notices as of Oct. 23 (note that some may also be given separate headlines):
China’s Ministry of Commerce recently announced application procedures for sugar and wool import quotas for 2020, according to an Oct. 21 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. Companies must submit applications for China’s “Application and Distribution Procedures for Sugar Import Tariff Quotas” by Oct. 30, the HKTDC said. In the wool and “animal hair” sector, companies will be allocated quotas on a “first come, first served” basis “until all available quotas have been exhausted,” the report said.