WTO Archives

APEC moving forward on trade facilitation

August 21, 2014 By Import and Trade Remedies Blog 2 Mins Read

On 18 August 2014, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) announced that APEC economies are pressing ahead with efforts to accelerate trade and economic growth through the elimination of costly delays to the flow of goods as they cross international borders, undeterred by the unexpected challenge to implementation of the Agreement on Trade Facilitation now facing members of the World Trade Organization. Senior customs and trade officials from the APEC region are currently meeting in Beijing…

WTO – Appellate Body issues reports on rare earth disputes

August 7, 2014 By Import and Trade Remedies Blog 1 Min Read

On 7 August 2014, the WTO Appellate Body issued its reports in the case “China – Measures related to the exportation of rare earths, tungsten, and molybdenum (DS431/DS432/DS433)”. The complainants in the cases were the US, the EU and Japan. The full reports are available here. If you want to review only the findings and conclusions, they are available here.

WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement falls apart

August 5, 2014 By Import and Trade Remedies Blog 2 Mins Read

On 31 July 2014, WTO Director General Roberto Azevêdo reported to WTO ambassadors that despite intensive consultations, “we have not been able to find a solution that would allow us to bridge the gap” on the adoption of the protocol on the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA). He urged members “to reflect long and hard on the ramifications of this setback”. The Director General, obviously frustrated converted a Heads of Delegation General Council meeting to an…

WCO, INTA sign MOU to collaborate against global counterfeiting

July 16, 2014 By Import and Trade Remedies Blog 2 Mins Read

On 15 July 2014, the WCO announced that it and the International Trademark Association (INTA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the WCO headquarters in Brussels on 14 July 2014. Through this partnership INTA and WCO will increase their collaborative efforts in the fight against counterfeiting and its impact on businesses, governments and citizens worldwide. WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya and INTA CEO Etienne Sanz de Acedo signed the agreement on behalf of their organizations.The…

MOFCOM announces ruling on re-investigation of AD/CVD measures against US chicken in light of WTO decision

July 11, 2014 By Import and Trade Remedies Blog 2 Mins Read

On July 10, 2014, the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) announced that on July 8, 2014, it released a ruling announcement on re-investigation of anti-dumping (AD) and countervailing (CV) measures against chicken imported from the United States to carry out the ruling by the WTO trade dispute settlement mechanism. MOFCOM made the ruling in its announcement that during the period of investigation, dumping and subsidy existed in chicken imported from the US. China’s domestic industry was…

WTO-Trade Policy Review: China

July 8, 2014 By Import and Trade Remedies Blog 1 Min Read

The fifth review of the trade policies and practices of China took place on 1 and 3 July 2014. The basis for the review was a report by the WTO Secretariat and a report by the Government of China.

WTO – Trade Policy Review: WTO Members of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States

June 17, 2014 By Import and Trade Remedies Blog 1 Min Read

The third review of the trade policies and practices of WTO Members of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) will take place on 17 and 19 June 2014. The basis for the review was a report by the WTO Secretariat and a common report by the Governments of the OECS WTO Members. The WTO Members of the OECS consist of six independent states located in the Lesser Antilles: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St.…

Yemen to become 160th WTO member

May 27, 2014 By Import and Trade Remedies Blog 2 Mins Read

On 27 May 2014, the WTO announced that Yemen deposited its “Instrument of Acceptance” on 27 May 2014 with Director-General Roberto Azevedo, confirming its membership terms. According to WTO rules, Yemen will become a full-fledged member on 26 June 2014. The announcement said: By depositing the document with Director-General Roberto Azevêdo, Yemen activated the 30-day countdown to its WTO membership which will be effective on 26 June 2014. In the “Instrument of Acceptance”, the Yemeni…

WTO Committee on Customs Valuation looks to update decision on valuation of software

May 15, 2014 By Import and Trade Remedies Blog 2 Mins Read

The Committee on Customs Valuation, on 12 May 2014, discussed a proposal by Uruguay to update a 30-year-old decision that has allowed members to value, for customs purposes, software and data on the basis of the cost of the carrier media (such as magnetic tapes, CDs and DVDs in which they are transported from one country to the other). Uruguay proposed updating the 1984 Decision on the “Valuation of Carrier Media Bearing Software for Data…

US – USTR publishes effective date for GPA amendments for Japan

April 21, 2014 By Import and Trade Remedies Blog 2 Mins Read

On April 18, 2014, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) published in the Federal Register a notice announcing that for the purpose of US Government procurement that is covered by Title III of the Trade Agreements Act of 1979 (the Act), the effective date of the Protocol Amending the Agreement on Government Procurement (the Protocol), done at Geneva on 30 March 2012, World Trade Organization (WTO), with respect to Japan is April 16,…

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