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WTO TBT Notifications

By 1 Min Read

Member countries of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are required under the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement) to report to the WTO all proposed technical regulations that could affect trade with other Member countries. The WTO Secretariat distributes this information in the form of “notifications” to all Member countries. The chart below summarizes notifications from the WTO in English received and posted by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) during the past month.

Chile, Swaziland ratify TFA

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On 21 November 2016, the WTO announced that Chile and Swaziland have ratified the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), making them the 97th and 98th WTO members to do so. Their submission of the instruments of acceptance to the WTO on 21 November means that nearly 90 per cent of the ratifications needed to bring the TFA into force have now been received. The TFA will enter into force once two-thirds of the WTO membership has formally accepted the Agreement. 

Vietnam – Decree issued for preferential tariffs in 2016-2019

By 2 Mins Read

On 1 September 2016, the Government issued Decree 09 to implement for 2016-2019 the Free Trade Agreements of which Vietnam is a Party. The Decree came into effect at the same time as the  Law on Export and Import Tax in 2016. Previously preferential tariffs were announced by the Minister of Finance in the form of circulars, but pursuant to Section 11 of the Law on Export and Import Tax in 2016, the implementation will be in the form of Government Decrees. The following Government Decrees were issued as part of Decree 9:

Canada – Global Affairs Canada posts TPP economic impact report

By 2 Mins Read

On September 12, 2016, Global Affairs Canada posted a report by the Office of the Chief Economist, entitled Economic Impact of Canada’s Potential Participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement.  The study assesses the potential economic impact of the TPP Agreement on Canada and other members in terms of income gains and new trade and investment opportunities based on the final negotiated outcomes of the TPP Agreement, which was concluded in Atlanta, GA in October 2015. It highlights the projected economic impact that Canada faces if it chooses to be a party to the Agreement, as well as the potential economic impact if Canada opts out of the Agreement, and the 11 other TPP countries are part of the Agreement.

US – ITC institutes investigation and seeks comments on U.S.-Chile FTA rules of origin modifications

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  On June 21, 2016, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) published in the Federal Register a document stating that it had instituted an investigation [Investigation No. U.S.-Chile FTA–103–029] and was seeking comments regarding Probable Economic Effect of Certain Modifications to the U.S.-Chile FTA Rules of Origin, following receipt on May 24, 2016, of a request from the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), under authority delegated by the President and pursuant to section 103(a) of the United…

US – USITC releases report on Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement

By 2 Mins Read

  On May 18, 2016, the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) released its report assessing the likely impact of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement that the President has entered into with Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. The USITC’s report,  Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement: Likely Impact on the U.S. Economy and on Specific Industry Sectors (Inv. No. TA-105-001, USITC Pub. 4607), provides an assessment of the likely impact…

Mexico publishes tariff rates, elimination schedule and procedures for goods originating in the Pacific Alliance

By 2 Mins Read

  On April 29, 2016, the Diario Oficial de la Federacion (the Official Gazette) published the Presidential Decree  promulgating the Additional Protocol to the Framework Agreement of the Pacific Alliance, signed in Cartagena  de Indias, DT and C., Republic of Colombia, on 10 February 2014 and the Ministry of Economy Acuerdo announcing the applicable rate of the general import tax for goods originating in the countries that form the region of the Pacific Alliance. The Additional…

TPP to be signed on 4 February in New Zealand

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  On 21 January 2016, the New Zealand Trade Minister, Todd McClay, confirmed that his Government is planning to host the signing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) in New Zealand on Thursday 4 February. New Zealand has issued invitations to TPP Ministers to sign the Agreement in Auckland.  Mc Clay indicated that  the signing will mark the end of the TPP negotiating process and will permit all 12 countries (Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia,…

US – Government Procurement: DFARS Trade Agreements thresholds set

By 2 Mins Read

  On December 30, 2015, the Defense Acquisition Regulations System, Department of Defense (DoD) published in the Federal Register a final rule [Docket DARS–2015–0066] amending the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to incorporate increased thresholds for application of the WTO Government Procurement Agreement and the Free Trade Agreements, as determined by the United States Trade Representative (USTR).  Every two years, the trade agreements thresholds are escalated according to a predetermined formula set forth in the…