In DIBP Notice No. 2017/06, the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) announced that on 1 April 2017, the Commerce (Trade Descriptions) Regulation 2016 (the CTD Regulation) will commence and replace the sunsetting Commerce (Imports) Regulations 1940 (the CI Regulations).
On 31 March 2017, the National Financial Office announced that searches and hearings were conducted on 30 and 31 March by the National Judicial Customs Service (SNDJ), under the direction of the National Financial Office (PNF), throughout French territory,
The WTO announced that WTO members discussed five new or enhanced proposals to advance services negotiations at meetings of the Working Party on Domestic Regulation and the Services Council on 14-17 March 2017. Four of these proposals aim to ensure that domestic licensing procedures and technical standards do not constitute unnecessary barriers to trade while one proposal relates to the establishment of a trade facilitation agreement for services. The WTO provided the following summaries:
Tariffs, quotas and other traditional trade barriers are gradually declining with the growth in free trade agreements. As the regional market gains strength in this sector, the Asia Pacific Food Law Guide offers key insights on food laws in 11 jurisdictions across Asia Pacific.
On 28 February 2017, the Hon. Julie Bishop, Minister for Foreign Affairs, announced that she is proposing new and expanded autonomous sanctions in response to North Korea’s reckless and dangerous nuclear and ballistic missile programs. The announcement said:
The Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee report of its inquiry into the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) was tabled in Parliament on 7 February 2017.
On 8 February 2017, the Senate passed the long awaited Competition and Consumer Amendment (Country of Origin) Bill 2016. The new laws supplement the recent country of origin labelling reforms for food businesses.
On January 23, 2017, the President signed Presidential Memorandum Regarding Withdrawal of the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership Negotiations and Agreement.
On January 2, 2016, the Federal Register published Proclamation 9549 of December 1, 2016 – To Modify the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States and for Other Purposes. The Proclamation modifies the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS) to implement the 2017 Harmonized System revisions adopted by the WCO. The actual modifications are incorporated by reference from Annex I of U.S. International Trade Commission Publication 4653 titled, ‘‘Modifications to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States Under Section 1206 of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988.’’
On 15 November 2016, the New Zealand parliament passed by a 61-57 vote, the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement Amendment Bill, which is an omnibus bill that would amend 11 different NZ laws to meet obligations in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) and enable New Zealand to ratify the agreement.