Some companies are struggling to meet a due diligence threshold set by the U.S. government for sales to foreign suppliers accused of illegal sales to Russia, said Anne van de Heetkamp, vice president of product management for global trade intelligence at Descartes Systems Group.
An upcoming digital service being prepared by the U.K. government is expected to modernize and simplify duty payments for alcohol trade, according to the Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade, a U.K. trade association.
China’s commerce ministry met with industry officials last week to discuss possibly raising import duties on large-engine cars, according to an unofficial translation of an Aug. 23 ministry notice. China said the meeting featured “representatives from relevant industry organizations, research institutions and automobile companies," where China listened to their "opinions and suggestions on increasing tariffs on large-displacement fuel vehicles." The China Chamber of Commerce to the EU said in May that Beijing was considering the tariffs, which could be imposed on exporters from the U.S. and the EU in response to increased duties recently announced by both governments on imports of Chinese electric vehicles (see 2405140008 and 2408200020).
The Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank's "Trade Guys" podcast said that the EU's tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles (see 408200020) "is sort of a preview of coming attractions."
The Federal Maritime Commission is asking for public comments on an information collection related to ocean common carriers that are subject to the FMC’s regulations. The notice said controlled carriers must ensure that they don’t maintain rates or charges in their tariffs and service contracts “that are below a level that is just and reasonable; nor establish, maintain, or enforce unjust or unreasonable classifications, rules, or regulations in those tariffs or service contracts that result or are likely to result in the carriage or handling of cargo at rates or charges that are below a just and reasonable level.” Public comments are due Oct. 22.
Shipping company OL USA notified the Federal Maritime Commission last week that it has reached a settlement agreement with Maersk, which it accused in February of violating the Shipping Act by failing to keep its "automated tariff system" open for public inspection (see 2402200007).
South Africa recently imposed a $9.70 per metric ton import duty on wheat, ending more than three years of duty-free wheat imports in South Africa, the USDA Foreign Agicultural Service said in a report this week. The duties were triggered by falling global wheat prices and a 7% drop in “wheat planted area for marketing year 2024/25,” the agency said, which “represents the smallest wheat area the past seven years in South Africa.” USDA is expecting the country’s wheat imports in marketing year 2024-25 to remain steady at about 2 million metric tons.
Four U.S. House members urged the Colombian government last week to end a “meritless” investigation of U.S. powdered milk exports. Reps. Adrian Smith, R-Neb.; Jim Costa, D-Calif.; Dusty Johnson, R-S.D.; and Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., made their plea in a letter to Colombian Ambassador to the U.S. Luis Gilberto Murillo.
The Canada Industrial Relations Board determined on Aug. 9 that stopping freight rail service in Canada would not result in an immediate and serious danger to the safety or health of the public. This means that members of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) could go on strike as early as Aug. 22 should union members and the two Canadian freight railways, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) and Canadian National (CN) fail to negotiate a new labor contract.
Texas-based freight forwarder Sealink International (SLI) illegally sold the cargo of California-based exporter Triple L Global (TLG) to an unknown buyer without permission and without the required 10-day written notice, TLG alleged in a complaint filed with the Federal Maritime Commission this week.