The government of Canada issued the following trade-related notices as of Sept. 19 (note that some may also be given separate headlines):
China increased its meat market supply by releasing 10,000 tons of pork from its central reserves, saying it can guarantee the country’s meat supply through increased meat imports and its “high level” of frozen meat inventory, China’s Ministry of Commerce said Sept. 19, according to an unofficial translation of a news release. China said it will continue “to release pork from central reserves as appropriate to guarantee supply of pork in the market,” according to a report from Xinhua, China’s state-run news agency. The announcement came as U.S. farmers, pork producers and meat exporters continue to face shrinking export markets in China due to the trade war. China recently announced it would add pork to its list of tariff exemptions of U.S. goods (see 1909130013). Also factoring into the reserves release are the upcoming Oct. 1 National Day observances in China, and curtailed domestic pork availability due to “an epidemic of African swine fever that has cut domestic pig production, pushing up demand for pork imports,” according to another Xinhua report.
U.S. and India face significant trade tensions that won't be easily solved, a trade expert said, adding that India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken more steps to close off trade than the country’s past two leaders. “I get asked, is India the next [U.S.] target?” said Rick Rossow, a senior adviser for U.S.-India policy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “Those of us that are in the trenches, there are already bombs dropping. There are already bullets whizzing by. It's pretty serious.”
The government of Canada issued the following trade-related notices as of Sept. 18 (note that some may also be given separate headlines):
Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer asking him to prioritize the removal of Section 232 retaliatory tariffs from India, which have resulted in a 70 percent tariff on U.S. apples in that country. Before the U.S. hit Indian steel with 25 percent tariffs, U.S. apples were taxed at 50 percent in India. India held off on retaliation for more than a year, but when the U.S. announced it would terminate India's eligibility for the Generalized System of Preferences benefits program, it responded in kind (see 1906170053).
Export Compliance Daily is providing readers with some of the top stories for Sept. 9-13 in case they were missed.
A recently reached U.S.-Japan free trade deal makes up 90 percent of the losses farmers experienced because the U.S. dropped out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, said Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, during a Sept. 17 call with reporters. "I haven’t seen anything on paper, but according to [the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative], it puts us on this level playing field with our trading partners," he said.
The International Chamber of Commerce is urging the World Trade Organization to permanently ban tariffs on “cross-border data flows” as a temporary ban moves closer to expiration, the ICC said in a Sept. 17 report.
The United Kingdom’s HM Revenue & Customs issued two guidance documents Sept. 16 highlighting special tariff classification and customs procedures that allow importers to delay or save on duty payments. One guidance lists situations wherein importers may pay a reduced rate of duty, such as re-importation of goods previously exported, importation for processing or repair, educational and cultural goods, medical goods, and printed and promotional goods, among other things. A second details ways in which importers can avoid immediately paying duties, such as through a duty deferment account, warehousing, temporary imports or moving through under union transit.
The government of Canada issued the following trade-related notices as of Sept. 16 (note that some may also be given separate headlines):